In his farewell memo on his final day as Apple CEO, Tim Cook delivered a strong endorsement of his successor, John Ternus, the senior vice president of hardware engineering. Cook emphasized that “few people understand what it takes to build products that change the world the way John does,” suggesting that Ternus’s appointment signals a renewed focus on hardware and product execution for Apple’s next era. Ternus has overseen the development of several notable products, including the ultra-thin iPhone Air, the lower-cost MacBook Neo, and AirPods with hearing health features, and has led the hardware engineering team across Apple’s full device lineup.

Cook’s memo, as reported by Bloomberg and others, primarily expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead Apple and highlighted the company’s culture as paramount. He wrote that “we share a belief that what we build matters and that we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to leave the world better than we found it,” invoking Steve Jobs’s notion of leaving a “dent in the universe.” The memo offered little insight into Apple’s future strategies regarding AI, services, regulation, or geopolitical challenges, instead focusing on the enduring value of Apple’s culture and the team’s collective impact. Cook will continue his association with Apple as executive chairman, maintaining political relationships, including those with government figures.

This is a summary. Read the original at techcrunch.com.