Tim Cook, Apple CEO./Courtesy of Yonhap News

Apple announced on the 8th (local time) that Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jeff Williams, 62, will retire at the end of this year. Following the retirement of former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Luca Maestri, 61, last year, the departure of these 'key figures in growth' seems to signal a significant generational shift within Apple.

Both Williams and Maestri are considered key figures who led Apple's rapid growth alongside Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tim Cook. Apple's annual revenue, which was $183 billion in 2014, grew to $391 billion last year. As major figures who contributed to Apple's golden era have resigned one after another, interest is increasing in the future of the 64-year-old Cook CEO.

COO Williams has handed over his duties to Vice President Sabih Khan. Until his retirement, he will lead Apple's design team and the Apple Watch and healthcare businesses. Williams played a key role in building Apple's supply chain system and was once mentioned as a potential next CEO. Known as the 'number two at Apple' after Tim Cook, Williams is leaving the company after 27 years since joining in 1998. This marks his retirement 10 years after being appointed as COO.

CEO Tim Cook stated, 'COO Williams built one of the most respected global supply chains in the world, launched and developed the Apple Watch, established Apple's healthcare strategy, and led an outstanding design team with wisdom and passion.'

Luca Maestri, who served as CFO at Apple, also retired last year after 10 years in the role since being appointed CFO in 2014. With both the CFO and COO resigning, attention is focused on the future of CEO Cook. Cook has been leading the company for the past 14 years since taking charge in August 2011, following the death of Steve Jobs. According to Bloomberg News, John Turness, 50, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, is being discussed as a strong candidate for the next CEO.

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