Apple's New CEO on Product Philosophy: Technical Aesthetics Over Marketing, Pursuing Endgame Definition

In his first interview since taking office, Apple's new CEO John Ternus set the strategic tone for the AI era: rejecting the market gimmick of 'AI wearables replacing phones' and firmly upholding the iPhone's absolute core position as the 'perfect intelligent personal hub.' This 25-year engineering veteran used the first foldable device, iPhone Duo, to illustrate Apple's product philosophy of 'not chasing firsts, but pursuing the endgame.'

Apple's new CEO John Ternus publicly articulated his product philosophy for the first time, outlining the contours of Apple in the 'Ternus era.'

On September 11, 2026, following the highly anticipated annual iPhone launch event, John Ternus, who had been Apple's CEO for just one week, sat down for an in-depth interview with tech media outlet Tom's Guide at Apple Park.

Apple's new CEO John Ternus (second from right)

As a 25-year engineering veteran at Apple, Ternus addressed key concerns including the market's intense focus on the AI wearable boom, data privacy bottom lines, future growth prospects, and the first foldable device (iPhone Duo).

On taking the helm of one of the world's largest tech companies, Ternus could not hide his excitement, calling it an 'extraordinary privilege' and admitting:

It's in my blood. I still get chills... I'm incredibly excited about the future.

Engineer as CEO, Roadmap Makes Him 'Incredibly Excited'

Ternus officially took over as Apple CEO last week, becoming the company's first top leader with an engineering background. In the interview, he admitted that leading 'one of the most important companies in the world' gives him 'a thrill of excitement.'

Ternus said:

It's an extraordinary honor. I've spent half my life here, and I love the people and the products we've built together.

Regarding external expectations that an engineering background could 'reignite innovation' at Apple, Ternus did not directly accept this premise, instead emphasizing that Apple's innovation has never stopped, and that the new opportunities brought by AI are the biggest driving force at present.

He said:

AI opens the door to new categories, and we're incredibly excited about the roadmap.

Ternus cited the new 'Smart Take' automatic photo capture feature on the iPhone as an example of how AI is bringing entirely new experiences to existing products that were previously impossible.

Apple's simultaneous launch of its first foldable device, iPhone Duo, during this iPhone release cycle is seen as Ternus's first major product decision in his tenure.

Analysts point out that Apple's choice to enter the foldable market only after it matured reflects Ternus's engineering philosophy—willing to endure criticism of being 'late' rather than launch before hinge durability, slimness, and system-level interactions are refined to industrial-grade standards.

When asked about the overall competitive landscape, Ternus attributed Apple's advantage to the integration of hardware, software, and services:

What I love is when these things come together to create an experience far greater than the sum of their parts.

This statement serves as both an indirect response to external competitors and an outline of the underlying logic of his product decisions—not competing to be first with features, but defining the endgame through holistic experience.

iPhone's Position Unshaken, Apple Reaffirms 'Personal Hub' Strategy

Amid intensifying competition in AI wearables, Ternus explicitly rejected market interpretations that 'Apple is shifting its strategic focus from phones to wearables.'

Ternus said:

The phone is a nearly perfect device—it has powerful computing, great battery life, and a display. Humans process visual information far more efficiently than audio information, and it fits in your pocket.

He further noted that as AI capabilities continue to grow, users' control over personal data will become even more critical. Ternus emphasized:

All your personal information is stored on a device you hold and control. Apple can't access it, and we don't want to. It's your information.

Ternus also stated that Apple Watch and AirPods are excellent AI devices, but their positioning is as a supporting ecosystem built around the iPhone, not as replacements.

Privacy Design Embedded in Chips, Targeting Wearable Market Controversy

When asked about the privacy controversy sparked by Meta AI glasses, Ternus used the newly announced audio intelligence feature on Apple Watch as an example to illustrate that Apple's privacy protection is implemented at the hardware architecture level.

According to Apple, this feature generates no recordings and retains no text transcripts—even the user cannot retrieve them. To achieve this, Apple designed a brand-new chip specifically for the new Apple Watch, with a built-in independent secure enclave. Audio data exists only for the instant of processing and is then destroyed.

Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering Jazz added:

If we don't have a recording, then no one has a recording. It can't be hacked, and it can't be compelled to be produced.

This design logic directly addresses external concerns that AI-driven voice recording features could infringe on user privacy.

Ternus stated that whenever Apple enters a new market, privacy and security are always the primary starting point of design, and hinted that this principle also applies to potential future AI wearable ventures by Apple.