Apple’s Tim Cook era comes to an end as he steps down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Apple. While the announcement gained much traction among Apple fans, many leaders, such as Sam Altman, Warren Buffett, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, US President Donald Trump, and many others, praised Cook’s leadership and the impact he has had on the company’s growth and innovation over the years.

Pichai on Tim Cook’s “incredible run” 

Recently, Google CEO Sundar Pichai also shared an X post, highlighting Cook’s “incredible run.” The post says, “Congrats on an incredible run @tim_cook, always respected your deep commitment to Apple's mission and best wishes in your new role!”

In addition to congratulating Cook, Pichai also welcomed the new Apple CEO, John Ternus, saying, “Look forward to working with John as well!”

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Previously, CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, Sam Altman, called Cook a “legend.” He said, “I am very thankful for everything he has done, and I am very thankful for Apple.”

Warren Buffett, Chairperson at Berkshire Hathaway, told CNBC, “Apple would not be the Apple of today without Tim Cook. What he has done with Apple could not be done by anybody I’ve known.”

Many other leaders joined to congratulate Tim Cook for his 15 years long reign at Apple, and now the responsibilities have been handed over to Ternus from September 1, 2026.

Must read: Tim Cook's legacy: Services, chips and wearables that reshaped Apple

Post the announcement, Tim Cook highlighted in an internal all-hands meeting that he is “healthy” and that he plans to continue at Apple as executive chairman. “I’m excited to continue my journey at Apple as executive chairman. I am healthy. My energy is high, and I plan to be in this new role for a long time,” Cook said.