Apple's market capitalization climbed from $350 billion to $4.6 trillion over Tim Cook's 15 years as chief executive, according to The Motley Fool, which examined what that trajectory suggests for the company's next phase under John Ternus.
The Motley Fool published its analysis on Sunday, framing the growth curve as the backdrop for the leadership handover. Ternus, described in the reporting as a hardware veteran, now leads Apple.
Coverage of the transition has focused on how the new CEO approaches products. MacRumors reported on Ternus explaining what he considers good product design, while Digit reported that he discussed his design philosophy ahead of the iPhone Duo going on sale and said one element of the company's approach would not change. NewsBytes reported that Ternus told TIME that iPhones make their users smile.
One outlet, listed in the source material as dars.gov.et, characterized the handover as a moment when a hardware-focused leader faces an artificial intelligence challenge.
The figures cited by The Motley Fool describe a company whose valuation expanded roughly thirteenfold during Cook's tenure, a period the publication uses as the starting point for assessing what comes next rather than as a forecast.
What to watch next: whether Ternus's public comments on design translate into product decisions, and how the market values Apple as his tenure takes shape.
