Technologies

Tim Cook Stepping Down? Apple CEO’s 65th Birthday Today Sparks Succession Talk

Apple is no doubt considering who it will choose to fill the chief executive role once Tim Cook decides to retire. Here are a few potential candidates reportedly being considered.

With Tim Cook turning 65 on Saturday, Nov. 1, talks have been growing around the question of who his successor as Apple CEO could be, should he choose to retire. Cook has made no announcement that he’ll be stepping down, but according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the tech giant is working behind the scenes to ensure a seamless transition when the time does come.

Cook replaced Steve Jobs in 2011, and after a period of uncertainty, Cook ushered Apple into its most profitable era. Stock-watching website Stocktwits reports that the company’s stock has increased by around 1,800% since Cook took over leading the company.

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Jobs may have introduced devices like the iPhone into everyday use that changed how we interact with technology, but Cook expanded on the Apple experience. Under his guidance, the company built upon Apple’s smartphone by introducing subscription services and more mobile products, including earbuds and wearables.

He introduced Apple Pay, Beats headphones became part of the company’s ecosystem, the Apple Watch launched 10 years ago, and Apple even entered the entertainment business, producing original Oscar-winning movies and Emmy-winning TV shows through Apple TV Plus.

Read more: Best iPhone in 2025: Here’s Which Apple Phone You Should Buy

We should reiterate that the notion of Cook stepping down is pure speculation at this point. We don’t know what Apple’s CEO is currently planning or what his thoughts about retirement may be. That said, there are a handful of contenders who have reportedly been part of the succession conversation.

Potential Apple CEO contenders

Apple likely has «a solid bench of successors» that the company’s board has been developing, says Bryan Ma, VP of Devices Research at IDC.

«But the anxiety gets amplified when there isn’t clear visibility for such a valuable and iconic company,» Ma says. «Compounding the challenge is the fact that the bar has been set by big rock stars like Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. The next generation of leaders have very big shoes to fill.»

John Ternus, Apple’s current vice president of Hardware Engineering, was top of Gurman’s list. Ternus has been with the tech giant for more than two decades, so he has the knowledge and experience for a chief executive upgrade. There would be value in having an engineer behind the wheel.

Ternus appeared during the September Apple event to introduce the iPhone Air. At 50, he’s the same age Cook was when he took over as Apple CEO.

Other potential contenders are also being considered, including Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering; Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing; and Jeff Williams, the company’s former chief operating officer, according to a report by Apple Insider. On Oct. 10, Bloomberg reported that Federighi also will soon be overseeing the Apple Watch operating system watchOS, while Ternus will be overseeing Apple Watch hardware engineering once Williams departs at the end of the year.

Federighi has been with Apple for a long time and has the public speaking experience — frequently speaking during Apple Events — that would be vital if he replaced Cook as CEO. Considering his current role, Joswiak has a more marketing perspective and a broader overview of the company and may not be as hands-on with the tech as Ternus and Federighi. And according to Gurman, Williams was viewed as a shoo-in to be Cook’s replacement until his role as COO was announced to be ending. (He’s now Apple’s senior vice president of design, watch and health.) Cook held the position of chief operating officer before he replaced Jobs as CEO in 2011. Sabih Khan will be stepping into that COO role, which also puts his name in the running.

When Cook steps down, Apple will undoubtedly have a pool of qualified talent to choose from to take up the leadership mantle. Who exactly will take the mantle remains to be seen.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Teaser: Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway Are Back in Vogue

The much-anticipated fashion-forward sequel is set to hit theaters on May 1.

Fashion never truly goes out of style. Twenty years after the 2026 release of The Devil Wears Prada, set in the cutthroat world of fashion magazines, a sequel is coming May 1. A teaser for The Devil Wears Prada 2 was released on Wednesday, reuniting Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly and Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs.

Based on the book by Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada follows Andy’s journey into the world of fashion editorial and her dramatic relationship with Miranda, the powerful editor of Runway magazine. The sequel takes viewers back to this cutthroat world, where the duo struggles with the decline of print media as they compete for readers and revenue against rival Emily Charlton (played by Emily Blunt), Miranda’s former assistant.

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Streep received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Miranda, a character loosely inspired by Vogue’s former editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

Stanley Tucci returns alongside Blunt to reprise his role as Nigel, Miranda’s close friend and fashion expert. David Frankel, who directed the first movie, is back to direct the sequel.

Technologies

‘Toy Story 5’ Trailer Teases Terrifying Toy Battle: Woody and Buzz vs. a Tablet

The movie is set to premiere on June 19, 2026.

Pixar has released the first teaser trailer for Toy Story 5, which is set to premiere in theaters on June 19, 2026. Woody and Buzz Lightyear have come a long way since that first movie, which premiered 30 years ago, in November 1995. They’ve been through a lot, but now, there’s a new threat in town. It may be the toughest foe they’ve ever met: a kid’s tablet. How will screen time impact this group of lovable toys?

The clip gives us the first glimpse of the tech toy. Named Lilypad, the tablet is voiced by Tron: Ares star Greta Lee. While the plot of the movie has mostly been kept under wraps, it’s clear that these classic toys will now be competing against electronics to win Bonnie’s attention. Something tells me this will be no easy feat.

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Tom Hanks and Tim Allen reprise their roles as Woody and Buzz, respectively. Joan Cusack is back as Jessie, along with Tony Hale’s return as Forky. Conan O’Brien also appears in the movie as Smarty Pants, a tech-based toilet training toy.

«It’s been a hilarious and poignant journey exploring how our favourite team of legacy toys might respond to today’s world of technology, and we’re thrilled to share this first glimpse with audiences,» director Andrew Stanton and co-director Kenna Harris said in a statement, «Having the remarkably talented Greta Lee bring Lilypad to life — balancing a playfully antagonistic tone with humour and heart — has been incredible.»

You can watch the teaser below and stream the other four Toy Story films on Disney Plus.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, Nov. 13

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 13.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? I thought it was a little tougher than normal. Read on for the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.