Tim Cook’s announcement Monday that he’s stepping down as Apple’s CEO in September heralds the end of an era for the Cupertino tech giant — one that saw a dramatic increase in the number of products and services it offers.
In the 15 years since he replaced Steve Jobs in 2011, and after a period of uncertainty, Cook ushered Apple into its most profitable era. He oversaw a period of prosperity during which the company’s market value soared to more than $3.6 trillion. And like Jobs, he left his mark not only on the company but on the consumer tech industry.
While Jobs got that ball rolling with the introduction of the original Macintosh in 1984 and the iPhone in 2007, Cook expanded the Apple experience — and the company’s fortunes. Under his guidance, Apple built upon the iPhone’s success by introducing subscription services and more mobile devices.
Here’s a list — in no particular order — of the five most significant Apple products and services introduced under Cook’s leadership.
Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 launched in 2025, and it is one of three product lines that Apple has for its smartwatches.
Introduced in 2014 by Cook, the Apple Watch marked the first major new product category under his leadership and is often considered the first major step for the company in the post-Jobs era. It was a brand-new category for Apple, and while the smartwatch market had been ticking quietly for several years, analysts have contended that it was the spark that the market has been waiting for. In the last quarter of 2026, Apple Watch shipments represented 32% of all smartwatches, according to a report from Counterpoint Research.
AirPods
This photo of CNET’s Scott Stein wearing AirPods went viral in 2017. The strange-looking wireless earbuds are the norm today.
When the first AirPods were introduced in 2016, the wireless headphones were derided as “weird-looking earbuds,” and social media commentators compared them to everything from cigarette butts to tampons. But as Apple moved away from standard headphone jacks on the iPhone, Bluetooth earbuds made sense. They won over CNET’s reviewers, and a year after their release, NPD reported that AirPods were dominating the market, scooping up 85 cents of every dollar spent on truly wireless headphones in 2017.
Apple Music
Over a decade after the service launced, Apple Music is a giant in 2026, even serving as a producer for the Super Bowl halftime show.
Apple launched its first subscription on-demand music service in 2015, entering a market dominated by Spotify. At the time, Apple was already the prevailing seller of digitally downloaded songs and albums, but the introduction of Apple Music ended the need to buy songs or albums from services such as iTunes almost overnight. Just a year after its introduction, Apple Music had amassed a customer base half the size of rival Spotify. With more than 100 million songs in its catalog, Apple Music is the second-largest music streaming platform behind Spotify.
Vision Pro
One of the Vision Pro’s more interesting features was displaying a virtual version of the wearer’s eyes.
The market for VR and AR headsets had been bubbling for years by the time the first Vision Pro launched in 2023. Apple’s standalone mixed-reality VR headset was described by CNET reviewer Scott Stein as the “best wearable display I’ve ever put on.” The dual-4K micro-OLED displays were rich, vibrant and way above what competing devices offer. But Stein also described the Vision Pro as heavy and unbelievably expensive at $3,500.
AirTag
Apple’s second-gen AirTag (left) next to a 5-year-old first-gen AirTag.
The AirTag — Apple’s Bluetooth tracker — debuted in 2021 and quickly became a popular way to track your luggage, keys, car, bike, pets (which you shouldn’t) and nearly anything else you can attach the tiny white and silver disc to. Apple’s portable Bluetooth trackers have become so popular that major airports and airlines are now plugged into Apple’s Find My service and can help you pinpoint a bag that could be wending its way through an airport’s luggage system or that was left behind where you started your trip. Apple released an updated version of the AirTag earlier this year.
