Apple’s hardware chief John Ternus, who is set to become the company’s next CEO in September, says he is fully committed to continuing the iPhone maker’s push into entertainment when he takes the top job.
The tech giant launched its original streaming service — offering movies and TV series — back in 2019. Since then, the platform has racked up some notable wins, including the Oscar best picture award for “CODA,” the box-office hit “F1” starring Brad Pitt, and Emmy-winning series like “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso.” The company dropped the plus sign from the service’s name last year, rebranding it simply as Apple TV.
Ternus spoke with Reuters on the red carpet at the premiere of the fourth season of “Ted Lasso,” standing alongside outgoing CEO Tim Cook.
“I think we have such tremendous momentum right now in Apple TV,” Ternus said. “There’s so many amazing shows, so many amazing characters and stories, and so we’re just going to keep building on the momentum.”
Cook said he has been sharing his knowledge of the entertainment industry with Ternus as part of the leadership handoff. When asked about Apple’s strategy for its streaming content, Cook made clear the company isn’t focused on volume.
“Our role is to be the best. That’s our lane,” Cook said. “We’re not about the most. There are … other companies that do that. But we’re about the best, and I feel like we really hit our stride in providing that.”
Cook also indicated the company is open to new partnerships in entertainment, pointing to its arrangement with Formula 1 racing as a model. For the “F1” film, Apple developed specially designed cameras to give viewers the sensation of being inside a race car. Formula 1 races in the United States are now broadcast exclusively on Apple TV, and the company also delivers leaderboards, race updates, and additional coverage through Apple News and other apps.
“We’ll do things that we can bring something unique to, where we can innovate in a way that others might not be able to,” Cook said. “I feel like we’re really doing that with F1. We’re so excited about how we’re doing there and the viewership numbers that we’re getting. So more things like that would be possible.”
The comments follow remarks made last month by senior Apple executive Eddy Cue, who told Reuters the company’s goal was to deliver “better and more” movies and TV shows both on streaming and in movie theaters.
