'I love this place; it's in my blood. Goosebumps'; John Ternus on how he felt when he learned he was becoming Apple CEO, and why AI may be the key to future Apple innovation

John Ternus, Apple's newly appointed CEO, shared his excitement about joining the company he considers "in his blood." During a podcast discussion, Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran, expressed his love for the people he works with and the products they create together. He emphasized that he loves building these products and the sense of pride he feels in being a part of such a successful team.

Ternus' enthusiasm for AI's potential to drive future innovation at Apple was evident. He highlighted the company's advancements in product quality, particularly during his leadership of the hardware organization. Ternus revealed his excitement about AI, stating that it presents new opportunities and that Apple is embracing it thoughtfully. He mentioned the Smart Take feature on the iPhone Duo, which can take photos automatically, as an example of the new capabilities AI has enabled in Apple's products.

As for Apple's future roadmap, Ternus remains optimistic. He expressed his excitement about the company's upcoming products and the endless possibilities they hold. Ternus stressed that the iPhone remains central to Apple's strategy, and he reiterated that screens will continue to play an essential role in the company's products.

Despite the introduction of the iPhone Duo, a new form factor for the iPhone, Ternus confirmed that Apple has no plans to discontinue the iPhone 18 base model, as it aligns with customer demand for displays.