Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO John Ternus is known for his meticulous attention to detail, which he highlighted in a 2024 Penn Engineering commencement speech.
Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran, recalled a story from his early days at the company, when he found himself debating the number of grooves on a screw head for the Cinema Display monitor, his first project at Apple.
The CEO obsessively checked the tiny concentric grooves on stainless-steel screws well past midnight, even though they were on the back of the monitor. He discovered the screws had 35 grooves instead of the required 25 and argued with the supplier to correct the detail, underscoring his belief that “the care that you put into your work really matters.”
He remembered stepping back for a minute and thinking to himself, "What the hell am I doing? Is this normal?" And I thought about it, and I realized it might not be normal, but it’s right,” he said in his speech.
Ternus said that he felt it was the “right” thing to do because after investing months in a product, he and his team felt compelled to give it their best effort, regardless of whether customers noticed the details.
“Maybe a customer notices, maybe they don’t, but either way…it mattered to me,” Ternus said.
Ternus Carries On Jobs’ Design Legacy
Ternus’ story about the Cinema Display monitor echoed co-founder Steve Jobs’ famous philosophy of obsessing over even the smallest, unseen details.
Jobs was deeply obsessed with product design, spending countless hours refining even the smallest details. According to biographer Walter Isaacson, Jobs believed that "God is in the details," emphasizing that a product’s quality and integrity extended even to components customers would never see.
The New CEO’s Big Test Begins
Ternus, previously the Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple, takes over from Tim Cook, who steps down after 15 years as CEO but will remain at Apple as executive chairman. Ternus will need to establish his own leadership style, especially as Apple faces challenges in AI, talent retention, and next-gen products.
As Apple CEO, John Ternus brings extensive product experience across Macs, iPads, AirPods and iPhones, but will now oversee the company’s broader operations. His first major product launch is expected on Sept. 9, with Apple expected to unveil the iPhone 18 lineup and its first foldable iPhone.
BofA Securities sees a significant opportunity for Ternus in the realm of artificial intelligence. The firm predicts Ternus will successfully maintain much of Apple’s core, built during Cook’s tenure, and secure the tech giant’s “device dominance” as the AI revolution accelerates. BofA Securities maintained a Buy rating on Apple with a $380 price target, implying nearly 20% upside.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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