Apple is set to witness a major leadership transition as Tim Cook prepares to step down as the company’s CEO after nearly 15 years at the helm, with August 31st being his last day. Since succeeding Steve Jobs in 2011, Cook has overseen one of the most successful periods in Apple’s history, with the company expanding its product portfolio, strengthening its services business and becoming one of the world’s most valuable technology companies.
While Jobs transformed Apple through products such as the Mac and iPhone, Cook built on that foundation and expanded the company’s ecosystem into new categories, including wearables, wireless audio, custom-designed processors and spatial computing.
Here are five of the biggest product hits from the Tim Cook era that helped shape Apple’s growth.
5 Biggest Product Hits By Tim Cook
1. Apple Watch
Launched in 2015, the Apple Watch became the first major new product category introduced under Cook’s leadership. Initially positioned as a smartwatch and companion device for the iPhone, it gradually evolved into one of Apple’s most important health and fitness products.
Over the years, Apple added features including ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, fall detection and crash detection, turning the smartwatch into a significant health and safety device. The Apple Watch also helped Apple establish a strong presence in the growing wearables market.
2. AirPods
Apple entered the true wireless earbuds market with the launch of the first-generation AirPods in 2016. Powered by Apple’s W1 chip, the earbuds offered quick pairing, seamless connectivity and improved battery management.
Despite initial criticism over their design, AirPods became one of Apple’s most successful accessories and helped popularise true wireless earbuds. Subsequent generations have introduced features such as active noise cancellation, spatial audio and other advanced capabilities, further strengthening Apple’s audio ecosystem.
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3. Apple Silicon
One of Cook’s most significant technological moves came in 2020, when Apple began transitioning its Mac computers from Intel processors to its own Apple Silicon chips.
The first M-series chips delivered a major combination of performance and power efficiency, helping reinvigorate Apple’s Mac lineup. The technology has since expanded beyond Macs, with Apple Silicon also powering products such as the iPad Pro and iPad Air. The transition also gave Apple greater control over the hardware and software experience across its devices.
4. Apple Vision Pro
In 2023, Apple entered the mixed-reality market with the Vision Pro, which it described as its first “spatial computer.”
The device brought together augmented and virtual reality through a combination of eye tracking, hand gestures and voice commands, while a Digital Crown allowed users to adjust the balance between the virtual and physical worlds.
Although the Vision Pro has not achieved the commercial success of products such as the iPhone or Apple Watch, it represented one of Apple’s most ambitious new product launches under Cook and marked the company’s entry into a completely new computing category.
5. AirTag
Apple launched AirTag in 2021 as a small Bluetooth tracker designed to help users locate everyday items through the Find My network.
The compact device quickly became popular for tracking items such as luggage, keys and other belongings. Its integration with Apple’s vast Find My ecosystem also demonstrated how the company could use its existing network of devices and services to make a relatively simple product more useful.
Apple has continued to refine the AirTag, including launching an updated version, while airlines and airports have increasingly adopted Find My-related technology to help locate lost luggage.
Tim Cook’s Wider Impact On Apple
Apart from these five major products, Cook has overseen several other significant launches and changes across Apple’s product lineup. He expanded the company’s services ecosystem with offerings such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Pay and iCloud, turning services into a major source of recurring revenue. Under his leadership, Apple also introduced new generations of the iPhone, iPad and Mac while continuing to expand products such as the Apple Watch and AirPods.
From wearables and wireless audio to custom silicon, services and spatial computing, Cook’s tenure has helped Apple move beyond its traditional hardware business and build a broader technology ecosystem.
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