Top Stories: Tim Cook Stepping Down, iPhone 18 Pro Colors, and More
Source: MacRumors
Apple CEO Tim Cook Stepping Down, John Ternus Taking Over
Apple announced that Tim Cook will step down as chief executive officer. Cook will remain CEO through the summer and transition to the role of executive chairman, where he will “assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world.”
John Ternus, currently Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, will join Apple’s board of directors and assume the CEO position on September 1, 2026. He is expected to stay in the executive chairman role “for a long time.”
In addition, chip chief Johny Srouji will take on an expanded role as Chief Hardware Officer, adding oversight of the Hardware Engineering group that previously reported to Ternus to his existing responsibilities with Apple’s Hardware Technologies group.
iPhone 18 Pro’s Four Rumored Colors Revealed, Including “Dark Cherry”
A source familiar with Apple’s supply chain told Macworld that the company is planning four color options for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max:
| Color | Pantone Code | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Light Blue | 2121 | Resembles the current iPhone 17’s Mist Blue |
| Dark Cherry | 6076 | The headline new color, a deep wine‑like red |
| Dark Gray | 426C | — |
| Silver | 427C | Similar to the current generation |
The “Dark Cherry” hue is closer to a wine tone than the previously reported “Dark Red.”
MacBook Pro With Touch Screen and New Mac Studio Likely “Postponed”
The global memory‑chip shortage may push back the launch of the next MacBook Pro and Mac Studio models. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has been tracking the projects, noted in his Power On newsletter that the 14‑inch and 16‑inch MacBook Pro models with a touch screen were originally slated for late 2026 to early 2027, but the shortage could delay them to early 2027.
Gurman also indicated that a new Mac Studio, previously expected around mid‑2026 (potentially announced at WWDC 2026), may not ship until October 2026 due to the same supply constraints.
Leaker: Apple Downgrading iPhone 18 to Cut Costs
A Weibo user known as “Fixed Focus Digital” claimed that Apple is scaling back the specifications of the standard iPhone 18 as a cost‑cutting measure, aligning it more closely with the low‑cost iPhone 18e model. Reported downgrades include:
- A less advanced display
- A lower‑tier main chip
These changes are intended to reduce production costs while keeping the device competitive.
iOS 27 Rumored to Drop Support for Certain iPhone Models
Apple leaker Instant Digital suggested that iOS 27 will support the iPhone 12 series and newer, dropping support for the following models (which will still receive iOS 26 security updates for a few years):
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
macOS 27 Will Mark the End of an Era
During the Platforms State of the Union segment at WWDC 2025, Apple announced that macOS 26 Tahoe will be the final major macOS version for Intel‑based Macs. The upcoming macOS 27 will run exclusively on Apple‑silicon Macs (M‑series chips or the upcoming MacBook Neo with an A18 Pro chip).
- Beta testing is expected to start in June, with a public release likely in September.
This article, “Top Stories: Tim Cook Stepping Down, iPhone 18 Pro Colors, and More,” first appeared on MacRumors.com.