Photo: screenshot of Apple's new CEO John Ternus's Weibo account

Apple's new CEO John Ternus opened an account on Chinese social media Weibo and posted his first message on Tuesday, the same day he formally took the helm of the US tech giant from Tim Cook. 

Ternus greeted Chinese netizens with a bilingual "Hello," and his account had attracted 26,000 followers by Tuesday morning. By Wednesday noon, his account had attracted about 36,000 followers.

On the evening of August 31, Cook posted a farewell message on Weibo on his final day as Apple chief executive. "My title changes tomorrow, but the love I have for the Apple community never will," he wrote, adding that he was "excited for the next chapter."

Apple is scheduled to hold a product launch event on September 9, where it is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone Ultra and the iPhone 18 Pro series, among other products. The event could mark Ternus' first major public appearance as Apple CEO.

China's smartphone market declined in the second quarter of 2026, but Apple bucked the trend with strong growth, underscoring both the intense competition and continued opportunities in the market.

According to IDC data released on July 14, smartphone shipments in China fell 4.3 percent year-on-year to about 66 million units, marking a fifth consecutive quarterly decline. Apple phone shipments, however, surged 24.4 percent, lifting its market share to 18.1 percent from 13.9 percent a year earlier and placing it second behind Huawei.

Ternus is taking over at a time when Apple faces a more complex competitive landscape in China. Beyond defending its position in the premium smartphone segment, the company is preparing to enter the foldable-phone market, where Chinese brands have already built strong product lineups and consumer recognition. Its expected foldable iPhone will therefore be an early test of whether Apple can translate its ecosystem and brand advantages into renewed product momentum in China.

Apple's China strategy is also becoming more complex. Reuters reported in August that the company is developing an AI model for the Chinese market with support from Alibaba as it seeks to roll out Apple Intelligence in the country.

At the same time, Ternus is inheriting a broader supply-chain transition as Apple continues to diversify production beyond China while seeking to control costs and protect margins, Reuters reported. Against this backdrop, the challenge for Ternus will be to balance global product innovation with local market needs, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Wang said that Ternus' move to engage Chinese users immediately after taking office signals continuity in Apple's long-standing emphasis on China. For Apple, China is no longer just a consumer market, but a key market linking consumption, manufacturing, supply chain and the app ecosystem. Whether the new CEO can maintain and expand these deep ties will matter far more than a single social-media gesture.

China's foldable smartphone market has also matured after years of development, with consumers increasingly familiar with the category. Apple's expected entry could allow it to tap that demand while leveraging its ecosystem and brand strength to differentiate itself in the premium segment, Wang said.

Ternus' hardware-engineering background may help shape Apple's product strategy, with greater emphasis on hardware experience and ecosystem integration. That could help Apple pursue a different path from existing Android foldables in China and add a new variable to competition in the high-end smartphone market, Wang added.