Apple Inc. is expanding the responsibilities of several top executives in response to the upcoming retirement of longtime Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, according to people familiar with the matter. Services chief Eddy Cue will assume oversight of Apple’s health and fitness teams, while Craig Federighi, head of software engineering, will take charge of the Apple Watch operating system. Bloomberg reports that these moves reflect Apple’s ambition to consolidate its wellness initiatives and prepare for future leadership transitions.
Since announcing his retirement plans in July, Williams has gradually transferred oversight of the company’s supply chain, operations, AppleCare customer support, and China-based operations to new operating chief Sabih Khan. Under the new structure, Apple’s health and fitness groups, previously managed by Sumbul Desai and Jay Blahnik, will report to Desai, who in turn will report to Cue. This reorganization precedes the planned launch of Apple’s Health+ subscription in 2026, which will feature an AI-powered assistant to provide personalized wellness guidance.
Federighi, who previously took charge of the Siri voice assistant and visionOS for Apple’s Vision Pro headset, will now oversee watchOS, marking his second expansion of duties this year. Hardware chief John Ternus will gain sole control of Apple Watch hardware engineering, a team that had already reported to him, while other hardware and software design groups will report directly to Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook once Williams departs. Bloomberg notes that Ternus, 50, is widely regarded as a potential successor to Cook, who has led Apple since 2011.
Additional executive shifts are anticipated. Bloomberg reports that Apple is searching for a replacement for AI chief John Giannandrea, while Lisa Jackson, head of environment and government affairs, is considering retirement. Johny Srouji, who leads Apple’s chip division and recently launched the company’s first cellular modem, is also evaluating his future at the company.
The consolidation of health and fitness under Cue highlights Apple’s push to make wellness a core component of its business. Cue already oversees services such as Apple TV+, Apple Music, iCloud, and Maps, and the addition of health and fitness initiatives signals the company’s intent to expand offerings like Fitness+ into a subscription model with broader AI-driven personalization. These leadership changes, coupled with the impending launch of Health+, position Apple to strengthen its foothold in consumer wellness while navigating a major executive transition.
