Over the weekend, Bloomberg published an in-depth profile of Apple’s John Ternus, who many see as the company’s likely next CEO. The report also offers fascinating details on Ternus’ role in the iPad’s development.
John Ternus pushed for creation of iPadOS so software could match hardware capabilities
Mark Gurman writes at Bloomberg:
In the early days of the iPad, Ternus argued the device’s hardware capabilities weren’t used to the fullest because its software platform—the same as the iPhone’s—wasn’t taking advantage of the tablet’s more powerful processor and bigger screen. He pushed internally for a new operating system and eventually persuaded Federighi to build it, enabling features such as desktoplike multitasking that make the iPad more appealing for productivity. Ternus was also instrumental in creating iPad accessories such as a stylus and keyboard, as well as their magnetic charging and pairing systems.
Ternus’ leadership in hardware makes it unsurprising that he was influential in the development of Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard for iPad.
What is surprising is that Ternus was behind the biggest iPad software change in the product’s lifespan: the creation of iPadOS.
Top comment by Samir Sumantlal Shah
Latest iPadOS is so good that its ideas will percolate both up to Mac and down to iPhone. iPadOS is a joy to use but my poor eyesight prevents me from using it more. Let us hope Touch Mac gives us the freedom of both raw power of Mac and the fluidity of iPadOS, Even on Mac I have eyesight problems. With my iPhone I have so many problems with eyesight that I only use for talking, SMS and One Time Password,
Another reason is raw power. TextEdit is only available on Mac, Full fledged Pages is only available on Mac. My eyesight takes me to the Mac and Mac's raw power keeps me there.
Even on Mac, the raw power of hardware is rarely used. My main use is reading sites and using Pages. So the Mac has enough power left to get us a Touch Mac.
For years, the iPad ran iOS because of its roots as being essentially a larger iPhone.
But the creation of iPadOS sparked a variety of new software features that only recently, with iPadOS 26, brought the iPad’s software up to par with the capabilities of its hardware.
Perhaps it’s a sign of Apple’s collaborative environment that a hardware lead could make such a big impact on software. And as a longtime iPad user, it’s exciting to hear that Apple’s potential next CEO has high standards for one of my favorite products.
What are your takeaways from this report? Let us know in the comments.
Best iPad accessories
- AirPods Pro 3 (now only $199, down from $249)
- 100W USB-C power adapter for fast charging
- tomtoc Tablet sleeve bag for protection and style
- Baseus 10ft USB-C cable for extended reach
- Apple Pencil Pro (now only $99, down from $129)
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