Software quality
For decades, Apple has lived by the promise that hardware and software come from a single source. However, while hardware was once considered to be subject to compromises, whereas software excelled, in recent years increasingly blatant quality deficiencies have become the norm, especially in systems and frameworks. For normal users, this manifests itself in strange bugs, unstable functions and unfinished details. For developers it’s often even worse: bad or unfinished frameworks, broken basic components, new errors in existing interfaces and an enormously growing effort to work around Apple’s problems instead of working on their own product.
If developers increasingly have the impression that Apple is only announcing new interfaces, keywords and functions, while fundamental things are falling apart in the substructure and new things are only half-baked and knitted with a hot needle, then this could gradually damage the good reputation of the entire ecosystem. The question is being heard more and more frequently as to whether Apple still has enough discipline internally to properly maintain existing platforms. This is a challenge for Ternus because, as a hardware man, he can stand for new products, but the company’s reputation also depends on whether software components become more reliable again.
Find an AI strategy that suits Apple
The problem is not just that Apple needs to catch up with AI/Siri, but also how to do that. Apple’s classic strength of the close interaction of hardware, software and services can become a brake in the age of AI because the market currently rewards openness, rapid iteration and general accessibility. Ternus must therefore decide how far Apple can open up without giving up its own brand core of control, data protection and product quality. The cooperation with Google is certainly a far-reaching step that should not be underestimated. Especially with Apple Intelligence and Siri, it is important to show that announcements can now finally be followed by action.
Delivering the next big hardware cycle
As clearly as Ternus is always described as a hardware man and “product guy”, he is probably measured primarily by hardware. In the long term, it is not enough to continue to rely on careful product care. Foldables and glasses are two examples of new categories that already fall into his time as head of hardware. Ternus is considered risk-averse and cautious, but in contrast to Cook, he is more of a person who recognizes new hardware trends and works towards them. At some point, every existing product category becomes obsolete, so new solutions are required – which requires less administration and more design.
Which makes Cook easier for him as chairman
Cook will relieve Ternus of some of the most difficult outside contacts. Apple specifically mentions working with political decision-makers as one of its future priorities. This strongly suggests that Cook will continue to be the man for Washington, Brussels, Delhi, Beijing and Trump support. This is a relief for Ternus – but not the all-clear. Because even if Cook leads the talks, Ternus has to live with the consequences: tariffs, requirements, market openings, price risks, supply chain restructuring and the question of how much of Apple can still defend its old control model.
Conclusion and outlook
It will certainly take some time before there are concrete, visible changes or course corrections. The roadmaps and other plans for the next one to two years are likely to be largely in place and Ternus has apparently been involved in all important strategic decisions for several months. What will be interesting is less the immediate start than the question of where Ternus will set its own accents in the medium term.
The real test lies not in the management of success, but in the company’s open construction sites: in Siri and artificial intelligence, in the quality of systems and frameworks, and in the question of whether Apple will again be perceived more as a visionary company after years of perfect execution.