Tim Cook's biggest hits and misses as Apple CEO

Tim Cook concluded his tenure as Apple CEO on Monday, marking the end of a tenure that has been widely regarded as highly successful. Under Cook's leadership, Apple's market capitalization grew from approximately $350 billion to over $4 trillion, positioning him among the most successful CEOs in driving shareholder value in the last 15 years.

The iPhone, which Cook transformed into the most successful product in world history, accounted for 50% of Apple's total sales in 2025, with a revenue of $209.5 billion. Cook's expansion of the iPhone lineup, increasing screen sizes, and incorporating more powerful processors and cameras, significantly broadened the iPhone's appeal to premium consumers.

Additionally, he expanded Apple's market into China, where the company generated $64.3 billion in sales, making it a critical component of the business. Cook's strategy also involved creating a broad ecosystem of products and services, including Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, the Apple Watch, and AirPods, with services becoming the company's second-largest business, generating $109.1 billion in revenue in 2025.

Cook's emphasis on privacy and security has positioned Apple as a leader in the space, with the company frequently positioning its products as more secure than those of rivals such as Google and Meta. Despite some criticism for Apple's lack of innovation, particularly the absence of an iPhone successor, Cook's efforts to grow the company's portfolio have positioned it for the future. Cook will remain with Apple as chair of the board, ensuring his influence on the company persists.