Tim Cook steps down as Apple CEO: Here’s a look at his 15-year legacy, from new products and services to China expansion.

After 15 years at the helm, Tim Cook is stepping down as CEO of Apple and handing the reins to the company’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, John Ternus. Cook, who joined Apple in 1998, succeeded Steve Jobs in 2011 and went on to transform Apple into a $4 trillion powerhouse.

With his term as CEO coming to an end on September 1, let’s take a look at some of the highlights of Cook’s 15 years at the helm of the world’s most influential company.

Financial growth

Apple was already an influential company when Cook took over, but under his leadership, the company’s market capitalization increased tenfold. When Cook took over in August 2011, Apple was valued at less than $350 billion. The company passed $1 trillion in 2018, $2 trillion in 2020, $3 trillion in 2022, and $4 trillion in 2025. Now, the tech giant currently sits at $4.01 trillion.

The tech giant reported $112 billion in revenue for the fiscal year ending September 2025, which was eight times what Apple saw in September 2010. The company was able to achieve that 699% increase despite a number of challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the geopolitical tensions between the US and China. Cook, a former chief operating officer and credited as the mastermind behind Apple’s global supply chain under Steve Jobs, expanded Apple’s reach in China and added about 200 stores to the company’s global network during his tenure as CEO.

New product categories

Cook expanded Apple’s iPhone and computer ecosystem into a broader network of compatible devices that include wearables and gadgets.

Apple introduced the Apple Watch in 2015 and has since turned it into a complete health and fitness companion with blood oxygen tracking and ECG monitoring. Apple then disrupted the earphone market in 2016 with the launch of the first AirPods, changing the category of wireless headphones. It then launched its first headphones in 2020. It is also worth noting that Apple bought Beats in 2014.

The tech giant also released the Apple Vision Pro in 2024, positioning it not just as a VR headset, but as a virtual computing platform. The launch, however, failed to resonate with consumers who don’t want to spend several thousand dollars on a gadget.

Under Cook, the company also released iPads in various sizes and price points, and essentially turned the devices into full-fledged computers capable of handling a variety of different tasks for personal, work, and school use.

Of course, Cook also oversaw significant changes to the iPhone, including the launch of the more affordable iPhone SE, and improvements like Face ID and edge displays.

Although Apple moved away from adding the “i” word to new product releases under Cook, he oversaw a major expansion of the company’s product lineup.

Extension of services

Under Cook, Apple built a strong services business. The tech giant launched Apple Pay in 2014, which is now used by an estimated 818 million people worldwide. In 2019, the tech giant launched the streaming service Apple TV+ (now Apple TV), whose content has won hundreds of awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Apple launched its Apple Music streaming service in 2015 to take on Spotify, and the service now has over 112 million subscribers. In 2019, Apple launched Apple Arcade and has since built on a portfolio of premium games.

Although Jobs first announced iCloud in 2011, the storage service has grown significantly under Cook, including the launch of iCloud+ in 2021. Additionally, Cook oversaw the evolution of the App Store and repeatedly defended its 30% commission structure.

Apple’s services business generated $109.16 billion in revenue during the fiscal year ending September 2025. This segment accounted for a significant portion of the company’s $416.16 billion annual revenue.

Switch to internal processors

Under Cook’s leadership, Apple began switching from Intel processors to its own Apple Silicon chips in 2020 and completed the switch in its Mac lineup in 2023. The result was longer battery life, higher performance, greater energy efficiency, and more.

Time for AI

Apple entered its AI era in 2024 with the launch of Apple Intelligence. Since then, however, the company hasn’t had much success, and has faced major delays in launching its revamped AI-powered Siri (expected to launch sometime this year).

The tech giant remains absent from the tech industry’s productive AI race that began when OpenAI’s ChatGPT launched in 2022. Earlier this year, Apple and Google announced that Google’s Gemini will power its next-generation AI tools.

US $ 600 billion commitment to spend

Cook joined President Donald Trump last year to announce a $600 billion spending commitment in the US, marking the largest investment program ever. The four-year plan involves expanding recruitment and production in the country, with a focus on building a strong domestic semiconductor and advanced technology supply chain.

Apple Park

Jobs’ vision for Apple Park came to life under Cook’s leadership in 2017. The 175-acre headquarters, which replaced the Apple Campus, has more than 12,000 employees. It features thousands of native and drought-resistant trees and is powered by 100% renewable energy.

Today, Apple Park is the site of the company’s new product launches.