iPhone 18 launch event may not see Tim Cook taking stage
Tim Cook will watch the iPhone 18 launch from the audience
That will change at the upcoming iPhone 18 event. Because the launch is expected to include Apple’s first foldable iPhone, the timing is also significant. The September launch will therefore mark a change in more than just the iPhone lineup.
For years, Tim Cook has been the familiar face of Apple ’s product launches, appearing on stage and in keynote videos as the company introduced new iPhones and other devices.
Cook will not appear in the pre-recorded Apple Event video, although he is expected to attend the screening at Apple Park as a VIP guest, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Having Ternus lead the presentation gives the new CEO an opportunity to establish himself as Apple’s face during an important product cycle. That means Cook’s absence from the launch video should not be interpreted as an exit from Apple. He is expected to be at Apple Park for the event, watching the company’s next chapter from a different place. After years of seeing Cook introduce Apple’s products, viewers will now see Ternus take that role while Cook watches from the audience.