Group 1 - Apple CEO Tim Cook may resign as early as next year, with the company actively searching for his successor [1][3] - Current Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, is widely viewed as the most likely successor to Cook [3][6] - Cook has been CEO since 2011, and it is reported that he will not step down before the next quarterly earnings report, expected at the end of January [3][6] Group 2 - Ternus, aged 50, has been with Apple since 2001 and has played a significant role in the development of key products like AirPods, Mac, and iPad [6][8] - Ternus's technical background aligns with Apple's current shift from focusing on ecosystem development to emphasizing hardware technology [6] - Apple appears to be positioning Ternus for a leadership role, as evidenced by his prominent appearances at recent product launches [8] Group 3 - There are expectations of significant management changes at Apple, with several senior executives potentially retiring or leaving next year [8] - Analysts speculate that even if Cook steps down, he may continue to be involved with the company in some capacity, possibly transitioning to a role similar to that of Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates [8]