<\/div> Follow ZDNET: <\/em>Add us as a favorite source<\/span><\/a><\/span> On Google.<\/em><\/p>\n Apple announced on monday<\/span><\/a><\/span> Tim Cook will step down as chief executive officer and will be replaced by John Ternes, the company’s senior vice president of hardware engineering. It’s a move many speculated about last year, and it seems fitting for September, when Apple could launch its most ambitious product lineup yet.<\/p>\n Also: I’ve tracked Apple for nearly 50 years: How a garage rebel became a trillion-dollar empire<\/strong><\/p>\n Although the change in organization won’t take effect until the fall, there are already plenty of reasons to be excited for what’s to come from Cupertino. Taking a look at Apple’s product development over the past decade, which was influenced in part by Ternus’ team, is enough to give me hope that the future may now be even brighter for the $4 trillion company.<\/p>\n Here are five examples that stand out the most.<\/p>\n Did anyone outside Apple expect the M-series change to be this big? Since launching Apple silicon with the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini in 2020 and transitioning its systems away from Intel’s x86 architecture, Mac revenue has reached new highs, as the company Reported each quarter<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n Also: After using a MacBook Neo for several weeks, it was refreshing to switch to the Air<\/strong><\/p>\n This shift towards in-house manufacturing was presented to the public by Turnus himself<\/a>Well-adapted vertical integration has arisen for even the most complex workflows, as manufacturers and working professionals can attest. We’ve reviewed every M-series Mac device that’s launched, and our benchmark scores show Apple silicon pulling ahead against the latest Qualcomm and Intel chipsets, widening the gap in price-to-performance.<\/p>\n As of now, it is safe to assume that the next Mac, which will likely run on the latest M-series chipsets, will deliver high performance and efficiency at a reasonable price.<\/p>\n Once recognizable as a larger iPhone or iPod Touch, the iPad has evolved into an ultraportable, multitasking device loved by content creators, designers, and students alike. Recently, Apple’s tablet has become a professional device, thanks to productivity software development, multitasking features like Stage Manager, the Dock, and resizable windows, and the switch to the M-series chipset, which has supercharged its performance.<\/p>\n Also: 9 essential iPadOS 26 features that convinced me to put my MacBook away forever<\/strong><\/p>\n In particular, Turnas has been credited with being one of the voices behind this prosecutorial movement within Cupertino. “In the early days of the iPad, Turnus argued that the device’s hardware capabilities were not fully utilized because its software platform was not taking advantage of the tablet’s more powerful processor and larger screen,” observed mark gurman<\/a> Bloomberg’s in March.<\/p>\n Today, the iPad makes up about 34% of global tablet shipments, and the average spend on tablets continues to rise (up to $527), according to Counterpoint Research<\/a>. <\/p>\n AirPods took the wireless earbuds industry by storm when they launched in 2016, but I’ve been more impressed by how Apple has evolved them beyond mere leisure use. <\/p>\n The most significant development has been the repurposing of AirPods as medical-grade hearing devices. For example, AirPods Pro can be used as an over-the-counter hearing aid with FDA authorization, which has enabled Apple to reach an estimated market of 1.5 billion people with hearing loss. National Council on Aging<\/a>.<\/p>\n Also: How Apple changed hearing aids forever \u2014 and the lives of those who need them<\/strong><\/p>\n Under the direction of Turnus, with the price down, AirPods have become more essential than ever ($249 from Apple<\/span><\/a><\/span>) which makes them more accessible than traditional hearing aids, which can range from $1,500 to $7,500. The latest AirPods can also monitor your heart rate, helping you track your health easily. <\/p>\n As far as what’s next, I’d love to see how Apple approaches the rumored “camera-equipped AirPods” idea, which sounds like a viable AI hardware play that, with the company’s focus on security and privacy, could be another winner we didn’t expect.<\/p>\n To be clear, Turnus’s track record isn’t all sunshine and rainbows; His team was also responsible for the controversial MacBook Pro Touch Bar and infamous butterfly keyboard, which cost Apple $50 million.<\/p>\n But it’s clear that there’s been a renewed focus on MacBook hardware over the past several years, leaning toward a secure design with more usability. The 2021 MacBook Pro made its debut with a chassis that was markedly thicker than the slim-and-thin MacBooks of the Jony Ive era, but reintroduced the HDMI port and SD card slot.<\/p>\n Also: MacBook Neo review: My biggest concerns with Apple’s near-perfect budget laptop<\/strong><\/p>\n The larger frame also allowed Apple to better optimize cooling and speaker output, both of which have set a high standard for laptops since. Today, a look at Apple’s MacBook lineup $599 neo<\/span><\/a><\/span> till $2,699 Pro<\/span><\/a><\/span>The Ternus-led design shows its confidence in standardizing the language, and the sales numbers justify it.<\/p>\n When $3,499 Vision Pro<\/span><\/a><\/span> While it wasn’t necessarily the home run Apple had hoped for, it has quietly established the company as a leader in spatial computing for the enterprise, with corporations large and small taking advantage of the advanced headset for pilot training programs, running design briefings, and even performing surgeries.<\/p>\n So why should you be excited about Apple next<\/em> Mixed reality efforts? For one, Turnus brings a specific background to VR headsets, having worked as a mechanical engineer virtual research system<\/a> Before joining Apple. Their familiarity with the space, along with hopefully some lessons learned from the Vision Pro, could lead to a more aggressive roadmap toward Apple’s first pair of smart glasses.<\/p>\n Although Meta continues to dominate that end of the market, if consumers aren’t buying Ray-Bans it’s because of how the company Security and privacy handled<\/a>So Apple has a golden opportunity that it won’t want to miss.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n1. Leaving Intel in the dust<\/h2>\n
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>
2. The iPad gets a little bigger<\/h2>\n
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>
3. Life-changing AirPods<\/h2>\n
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>
4. Designing the MacBook for usability<\/h2>\n
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>
5. A vision for the future<\/h2>\n
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>