Apple‘s new CEO John Ternus is reportedly considering a sweeping organizational overhaul designed to make the company leaner, accelerate product development and restore engineering to a more central role in corporate decision-making. Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook on September 1 after spending 25 years at Apple, is considering eliminating some middle-management positions, reducing the layers separating engineers from senior executives, cutting costs and moving beyond Apple’s traditional spring-and-fall product-release schedule. Hardware engineering has already eliminated a number of engineering program-management positions, including several director-level jobs, while earlier reductions affected Siri, Vision Pro and AI software teams. Ternus also reportedly wants Apple to become more experimental as artificial intelligence reshapes the technology industry, potentially using AI to accelerate product development and automate existing employee functions. At the same time, Apple is exploring new services and additional revenue from existing products, signaling that the post-Cook era could combine tighter corporate discipline with a renewed emphasis on engineering, faster innovation and a broader product portfolio.
Key Takeaways
- Ternus is considering flattening Apple’s corporate structure by eliminating some middle-management positions and bringing engineers into closer contact with senior decision-makers, while expecting the company to accomplish more with a leaner workforce.
- Apple could loosen its long-established spring-and-fall launch schedule and introduce products throughout the year, reflecting Ternus’ belief that the company must develop products faster and become more experimental to compete in the AI era.
- The restructuring is broader than personnel reductions: Apple is examining AI-driven automation, faster development, additional services and new ways to generate revenue from existing products while pursuing devices including smart-home products, camera-equipped AirPods, touchscreen Macs and future Vision hardware.
In-Depth
John Ternus appears determined to make his arrival as Apple CEO more than a ceremonial changing of the guard. Less than a month after succeeding Tim Cook, the longtime hardware executive is reportedly considering structural changes aimed at making one of America’s largest corporations faster, leaner and more focused on engineering.
The most consequential proposal may be reducing management layers between engineers and senior executives. Apple’s hardware organization has already eliminated engineering program-management positions, including several senior roles. Ternus has reportedly argued for years that Apple should control headcount, demand more from existing engineers and reduce organizational bloat.
That philosophy represents a potentially important cultural shift. Apple grew enormously during Cook’s tenure, expanding far beyond computers and smartphones into wearables, services, entertainment, financial products, artificial intelligence and spatial computing. Growth inevitably brings bureaucracy, and bureaucracy can become particularly dangerous in technology, where competitors can erase advantages quickly.
Ternus also reportedly wants to loosen Apple’s traditional product calendar. Instead of concentrating major introductions around predictable spring and fall windows, Apple could release products more frequently while experimenting with additional device categories. Artificial intelligence adds urgency, particularly after criticism that Apple moved too slowly in adapting to generative AI.
The strategy carries risks. Eliminating experienced managers can create coordination problems, while demanding more products on shorter schedules could compromise the meticulous development process that helped establish Apple’s reputation.
Still, the underlying principle is distinctly market-oriented: a successful corporation cannot assume past dominance guarantees future leadership. Ternus appears prepared to test whether fewer bureaucratic layers, greater engineering authority and tighter cost discipline can make Apple more innovative without sacrificing the quality that built its brand.
Sources
- https://nypost.com/2026/09/29/business/apple-ceo-john-ternus-seeks-major-overhaul-of-iphone-maker-report/
- https://www.reuters.com/technology/apples-new-ceo-moves-overhaul-company-run-faster-leaner-bloomberg-news-reports-2026-09-29/
- https://www.macrumors.com/2026/09/29/apple-to-launch-products-faster-and-more-often/
- https://www.theverge.com/tech/1002107/apple-ceo-john-ternus-product-launch-strategy
- https://www.apple.com/ca/newsroom/2026/04/tim-cook-to-become-apple-executive-chairman-john-ternus-to-become-apple-ceo/