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Apple announced on Monday that Tim Cook will step down as chief executive officer, and John Ternus, the company's senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will take his place. It's a move many have speculated over the past year, and one that feels primed for this September, when Apple may launch its most ambitious product lineup yet.

Also: I've tracked Apple for nearly 50 years: How a garage rebel became a multitrillion-dollar empire

While the organization shift won't take effect until the fall, there are several reasons to already be excited for what's to come out of Cupertino. A look back at Apple's product developments over the past decade, all of which were influenced to a degree by Ternus' team, is enough to give me hope that the future may be even brighter now for the $4 trillion company.