Tim Cook has appointed John Ternus, Apple’s Senior SVP of Hardware Engineering, to oversee the company’s design teams. According to Bloomberg, this change took place at the end of last year, positioning Ternus as the "executive sponsor" for design across Apple. He will manage design strategy at the executive level, while design leaders will still report directly to Cook. This move highlights Ternus's close ties with the industrial design team, a group he's worked alongside but not previously led. Despite this shift, there are no indications that Cook plans to step down soon. However, Ternus is viewed as a strong internal candidate for the CEO role. Bloomberg notes that Cook is working to involve Ternus more in Apple's operations and is increasingly presenting him as a public representative of the company. This raises speculation about Ternus potentially succeeding Cook in the future. Apple's design leadership has faced instability since Jony Ive's departure, with oversight shifting through various executives. Ternus's expanded role suggests he may be better suited for design decisions than Cook, who tends to distance himself from that area. While Apple's design choices still rely on consensus among senior leaders, Ternus's influence in his new position marks a notable change in the company's approach to design oversight.