Cook took over as CEO from Steve Jobs shortly before the Apple co-founder’s death in 2011. When he succeeded Jobs, some observers doubted that the technocratic Cook could match his predecessor’s star power. But on his watch, Apple’s market value has skyrocketed and the California giant’s worth is estimated at more than $2.4 trillion.
However, Cook’s tenure has also faced several hiccups such as a failed launch of its own Maps app in 2012, which was largely rectified, criticism over the company’s tax payments and tax deal with Ireland, and a public spat with the US over smartphone encryption. Cook’s task will be protecting the company’s third-party App Store from developer and government scrutiny.
