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Apple CEO Ternus Pushes Federighi to Speed Up Software Engineering
· Confirmed
In Short: In recent weeks, Apple CEO John Ternus held a closed-door meeting with Craig Federighi, the company’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, to discuss the need for faster software development.
Craig Federighi at Apple WWDC 2019 (cropped).
John Ternus pushes Craig Federighi to accelerate Apple software. Max Herrera
Ternus reportedly wants Federighi to accelerate Apple’s software plans and move beyond merely improving Siri, reflecting frustration over the perceived lack of urgency compared to other tech companies.
Federighi, who became Apple’s AI czar following the dismissal of its former AI leader last year, is known for a hands-on management style that can leave little room for competing ideas.
Ternus is pushing for a new development pipeline that gives engineers 50% more time to code and explore, spending less time on integration.
Federighi’s approach has at times frustrated members of the software engineering and design teams, who believe they have limited influence over product direction.
The meeting centered on the need to accelerate Apple’s development schedule rather than focus primarily on upgrading Siri.
Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook as CEO in September, is pressing the company’s software leadership to respond more quickly to developments in artificial intelligence.
Federighi oversees software engineering and took charge of Apple’s AI efforts after a leadership shake-up last year.
There is no indication that Federighi is preparing to leave the company, but Ternus reportedly wants changes in how software projects are developed, reviewed, and approved.
Federighi tends to plan 12 to 18 months ahead, while hardware engineering teams use roadmaps that span years.
The reported discussion reflects frustration over what Ternus sees as a lack of urgency compared with other technology companies.
The immediate development remains a reported internal push to accelerate software engineering, with the practical impact on Apple’s product roadmap yet to be established.
What this adds
Ternus can start with firing Craig Federighi to show that no one is safe.
The report suggests a period of adjustment rather than a sudden shift for developers building on Apple's platforms.
Bridging the gap between hardware and software timelines is one of the changes Apple may seek in the coming years.
Background
In recent weeks, John Ternus held a closed-door meeting with Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, to discuss the need for faster software development.
What's confirmed
- That said, Ternus still wants to see change in how Craig Federighi thinks about Apple’s software strategy: In recent weeks, Ternus held a closed-door meeting with Craig Federighi, who became Apple’s AI czar following last year’s dismissal of its former AI leader.
- In the same report, Gurman also reported that Apple is experimenting with a new development pipeline, giving engineers 50% more time to code and explore more, and spend less time on integration, as coding agents have improved.
- Desiring more and frustrated by what he sees as a reluctance to embrace AI with the same urgency as competitors, Ternus pushed his software chief to accelerate the company’s road map and move quickly beyond merely making necessary improvements to Siri.
- That approach has at times frustrated members of the software engineering and design teams, some of whom believe they have limited influence over the direction of products.
- According to a report published on Sunday, November 8, Ternus recently held a private meeting with Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering.
- In September 2026, reports indicated that Ternus was considering organisational changes intended to make Apple more focused on engineering and capable of releasing products more frequently.
- His responsibilities place him at the centre of Apple’s efforts to integrate artificial intelligence more deeply into its devices.
- Nor has Apple announced that the reported discussions will alter the release dates of upcoming operating-system updates.
- The immediate development remains a reported internal push to accelerate software engineering, with the practical impact on Apple’s product roadmap yet to be established.
- Federighi oversees the company’s software engineering operations, which are responsible for the systems and features used across products including the iPhone, iPad and Mac.
- The reported meeting centred on the need to accelerate Apple’s development schedule rather than concentrate primarily on upgrading Siri.
- The discussion reportedly focused on accelerating Apple’s software plans and moving beyond improvements to its Siri voice assistant.
What's still developing
- Another part is that Federighi reportedly only plans for a 12-18 month timeframe, versus the years-long roadmaps used in hardware engineering.
- In the past few years, a major Apple story (especially in the age of AI) has been that the company isn’t moving fast enough in the space to keep up with competitors.
- A large part of Federighi’s approach has been how hands-on he is, resulting in his viewpoint shaping how Apple’s software development goes to a large extent.
- He got started in the world of Apple news during the pandemic, and it became a growing hobby.
- These are some of the gaps that Apple may want to bridge in the coming years.
- Ternus can start with firing Craig Federighi to show that no one is safe.
- Source : Report: John Ternus pushing Craig Federighi to speed up Apple software engineering - 9to5Mac, by Michael Burkhardt, 9to5Mac, Nov 8, 2026 Nvidia's board is probing an alleged Chinese espionage plot targeting CEO Jensen Huang, who admitted to an affair with a Megaspeed International executive accused of ties to Beijing's Ministry of State Security.
- Federighi's management style sits at the center of the report.
- For developers building on Apple's platforms, the report suggests a period of adjustment rather than a sudden shift.
- The same report says Siri and Vision Pro leader Mike Rockwell is weighing a departure and Apple is testing a new development pipeline.