Incoming Apple CEO John Ternus Bets On TV Growth After Recent Hits

Apple's incoming chief executive officer (CEO) John Ternus has said he plans to build on the company's recent progress in the entertainment business after taking over leadership of the technology company in September.

Apple's streaming platform has gained significant momentum in recent years and the company intend to expand on that success, Ternus said at the premiere of the fourth season of Ted Lasso in Los Angeles, as per Reuters.

Apple launched its original television and film business in 2019 through the Apple TV+ streaming service, which was rebranded as Apple TV last year.

"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," he added.

Apple's entertainment portfolio now includes Academy Award-winning film CODA, box office success F1, and Emmy-winning series such as Ted Lasso and The Studio, reflecting the company's growing presence in premium content.

Tim Cook Stresses Quality Over Scale

Current Apple CEO Tim Cook, who attended the event alongside Ternus, said he has been sharing his experience in the entertainment business as part of the leadership transition.

"Our role is to be the best. That's our lane," Cook said of Apple's entertainment strategy, as per Reuters.

"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," he added.

Cook also said Apple remained open to future partnerships where it could offer distinct technological expertise rather than simply expanding its content catalogue.

He highlighted Apple's collaboration with Formula 1 as an example of this strategy. For the Brad Pitt-led film F1, the company developed custom camera technology designed to give viewers the sensation of being inside a race car.

In the United States, Formula 1 races are also streamed exclusively on Apple TV, while Apple provides race updates, leaderboards and related coverage across its services.

"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 remarked.

"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," he added.

Last month, senior Apple executive Eddy Cue also said that the company's objective was to deliver "better and more" television shows and films across both streaming platforms and cinemas, signalling continued investment in its entertainment business, as per Reuters.