The restructuring will see leadership roles reshuffled across its services, hardware, and health divisions.

Eddy Cue, senior vice president of Services, will now oversee Apple’s health and fitness divisions, and this could boost the company’s reported plan to launch a new subscription service, Health+, in 2026. 

The upcoming service is expected to provide personalised coaching across fitness, sleep, nutrition, and mental health, revealing Apple’s goal to turn wellness into a profitable, recurring-revenue business, much like Apple Music or iCloud.

Jeff Williams, who once led Apple’s health initiatives and was important in building the Apple Watch into a health-focused product, handed the COO role to Sabih Khan, formerly vice president of Operations, back in July. With Williams’ exit drawing near, Apple is redistributing his remaining responsibilities. 

According to Bloomberg, software chief Craig Federighi will take charge of watchOS, while hardware head John Ternus will lead Apple Watch engineering, an appointment that analysts see as a strategic nod to Ternus’s potential as a future successor to CEO Tim Cook, who turns 65 next year.

Again, Jay Blahnik, Apple’s fitness chief, will now report to Sumbul Desai, vice president of Health. This comes when an internal probe into the workplace is being conducted. Both executives previously reported directly to Williams. 

The New York Times earlier revealed that Blahnik was sued by a former employee who accused him of enabling a toxic work environment, an allegation that has placed additional issue on Apple’s corporate culture.

Meanwhile, Johnny Srouji, senior vice president of Hardware Technologies, is reportedly “evaluating his future at the tech giant”, months after his team delivered Apple’s first in-house modem, an achievement in the company’s long effort to reduce dependence on Qualcomm.

Sources reveal that Apple’s leadership transition could extend beyond Williams. Other top executives, including Lisa Jackson, who oversees Environment, and John Giannandrea, head of Artificial Intelligence, are rumoured to be considering retirement.

In his place, Sabih Khan, Apple’s current senior vice president of Operations, will take over as COO.

Williams, widely seen as a key architect of Apple’s modern era, will remain with the company until the end of the year. During this period, he will continue reporting to CEO Tim Cook and maintain oversight of the Apple Watch and the company’s design team. Once he retires, the design team will report directly to Cook.

Williams’ legacy is embedded in Apple’s operational DNA, from the early days of the iPod and iPhone to the launch and evolution of the Apple Watch. More recently, he steered Apple’s health strategy and led its design organisation with precision and empathy.

“Jeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldn’t be what it is without him. He’s helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world; launched Apple Watch and overseen its development; architected Apple’s health strategy; and led our world-class team of designers with great wisdom, heart, and dedication,” said CEO Tim Cook. 

“I am and will always be beyond grateful for his numerous contributions to Apple over the years and his loyal friendship. Jeff’s true legacy can be seen in the amazing team he’s created and, while he’ll be greatly missed, he leaves the work of the future in incredible hands.”

The now former Apple COO, who marked his 27th year with Apple in June and 40 years in the industry, says the time is right to step back.

“I have a deep love for Apple. Working with all of the amazing people at this company has been a privilege of a lifetime, and I can’t thank Tim enough for the opportunity, his inspirational leadership, and our friendship over the years,” he said. 

“Beginning next year, I plan to spend more time with friends and family, including five grandchildren and counting. I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Sabih for 27 years and I think he’s the most talented operations executive on the planet. I have tremendous confidence in Apple’s future under his leadership in this role.”

Sabih Khan, on the other hand, has spent three decades at Apple and has led the company’s global supply chain with a reputation for precision, resilience, and sustainability. 

Since 2019, he has served on Apple’s executive team and has been responsible for everything from procurement and logistics to Apple’s environmental initiatives and supplier responsibility programmes.

“Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain,” said Cook. “While overseeing Apple’s supply chain, he has helped pioneer new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseen the expansion of Apple’s manufacturing footprint in the United States, and helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges.

“He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple’s carbon footprint by more than 60 percent. Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer.”

Before joining Apple in 1995, Khan held engineering and leadership roles at GE Plastics. He holds degrees in mechanical engineering and economics from Tufts University, and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

This handover is designed to preserve Apple’s operational edge while adapting to new demands. The company is reasserting its focus on deep operational excellence with sustainability and people at the centre. 

With the new Apple COO, the company’s supply chain evolution enters a new chapter, shaped by global scale, local manufacturing, and strategic foresight.

With CEO Tim Cook recently visiting Beijing, the investment aims to align the company’s Chinese supply chain with global clean energy goals.

The investment is the second phase of Apple’s China Clean Energy Fund, first launched in 2018. The initial phase mobilised $300 million from Apple and 12 of its suppliers, leading to the development of over 1 gigawatt of solar and wind projects across 14 provinces. 

Now, Apple aims to add another 550,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy to China’s grid, pushing its suppliers further toward sustainable manufacturing.

Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, noted the role of Chinese partners in this transition, stating, “Our suppliers in China are promoting world-class progress in the fields of intelligent manufacturing and green manufacturing. With the launch of the second phase of the China Clean Energy Fund, we are honoured to deepen our connection with suppliers across China.”

Apple has kept quiet on which suppliers are part of this new phase, though past participants included major firms like Compal Electronics, Corning, Jabil, and Luxshare. Some of these suppliers have since reshaped their operations—Luxshare, for instance, acquired Pegatron’s iPhone production facility, while Catcher Technology sold key assets to Lens Technology.

This initiative ties into Apple’s environmental strategy. The company has been carbon neutral in its corporate operations since 2020 and is pushing to extend that across its supply chain and products by 2030. In China, about two-thirds of Apple’s manufacturing is already powered by renewable energy, with the company working alongside over 100 suppliers to accelerate the shift.

Cook’s visit to China coincided with the China Development Forum, where he met with senior officials and reiterated Apple’s focus on innovation and sustainability in the country. 

Apple’s green initiatives have previously won global recognition, including a UN Climate Action award, though not without controversy. After announcing the Apple Watch Series 9 as its first carbon-neutral product in 2023, a Chinese environmental group accused the company of “climate-washing.”

Beyond China, Apple’s Supplier Clean Energy Program is pushing its global partners to adopt renewables, revealing the company’s strategy to influence supply chains worldwide.