The Inside Story of Why Apple Finally Brought a Touch Display to the Mac

Nearly two months into his tenure, he’s been busy. While the tech world buzzes about AI agents and the upcoming IPO of a company reporting spectacular losses, Ternus’ leadership of a ridiculously profitable firm has so far been defined by a sequence of significant launches—the long-awaited foldable iPhone, a household device that can control digital appliances, new Mac Minis, and AirPods. Intentionally or not, all that activity sends a message that, even as AI dominates the public imagination, hardware products still rule.

Ternus doesn’t endorse that take, but he doesn’t object when I suggest it. “We’ve been working on these products for quite some time,” he says. “It feels like everyone here is just kind of riding high right now, enjoying it.”