LOS ANGELES, July 27 (based on Reuters reporting) — Apple’s incoming chief executive, hardware engineering chief John Ternus, said he is committed to continuing the company’s progress in film and television when he takes over from Tim Cook in September.
Speaking to Reuters on the red carpet at the premiere of the fourth season of the hit series Ted Lasso, Ternus highlighted the strong performance of Apple’s streaming service. “I think we have such tremendous momentum right now in Apple TV,” he said. “There’s so many amazing shows, so many amazing characters and stories, and so we’re just going to keep building on the momentum.”
Apple launched original programming through Apple TV+ in 2019. The service has scored major wins, including the Oscar-winning best picture CODA, the box-office hit racing drama F1 starring Brad Pitt, and Emmy-winning series such as The Studio and Ted Lasso. Last year the company dropped the “plus” and rebranded the platform simply as Apple TV.
Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran who currently serves as senior vice president of hardware engineering, stood alongside outgoing CEO Tim Cook at the Academy Museum event. Cook said he has been sharing insights on the entertainment business as part of the leadership transition.
“Our role is to be the best. That’s our lane,” Cook said of Apple’s content strategy. “We’re not about the most. There are … other companies that do that. But we’re about the best, and I feel like we really hit our stride in providing that.”
Cook also indicated openness to selective partnerships when Apple can contribute unique technical expertise. He pointed to the company’s collaboration with Formula 1: Apple developed custom cameras for the F1 film to immerse viewers in the race-car experience. The company now holds exclusive U.S. rights to broadcast F1 races on Apple TV and supplies related data, leaderboards, and coverage through Apple News and other apps.
“We’ll do things that we can bring something unique to, where we can innovate in a way that others might not be able to,” Cook said. “I feel like we’re really doing that with F1. We’re so excited about how we’re doing there and the viewership numbers that we’re getting. So more things like that would be possible.”
The comments align with recent remarks from Apple services executive Eddy Cue, who told Reuters last month that the company aims to deliver “better and more” TV shows and movies for both streaming and theatrical release.
Ternus will succeed Cook as CEO on September 1, with Cook remaining as executive chairman. The statements offer reassurance that Apple’s push into high-quality entertainment will continue under the new leadership.
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