Apple CEO Tim Cook is said to be launching an entirely new category for the company as his final trick. Cook, who succeeded the irreplaceable Steve Jobs, is expected within Apple to step down as early as four years from now, in 2025.

This comes from the ever-reliable Mark Gurman of Bloomberg. According to his latest column, Cook could retire "between 2025 and 2028" due to a number of factors. His retirement is linked to the release of Apple Glass, the company's first standalone AR product, which has been rumored for some time.

Specifically, Garman notes that "the prevailing theory within Apple is that Cook just wants to stay on for another major new product category, and that is likely to be augmented reality glasses, not cars."

And looking back at Tim Cook's huge success with Tom's Guide Slack, he thinks the glasses are likely to be a hit. Cook was at Apple for 10 years, during which time he successfully launched multiple categories and revolutionized Apple's component strategy.

Apple never explains who is responsible for which products, but let's look at the major launches since 2011. The acquisition of Beats Electronics from Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine may not have seemed like a big deal back in 2014, but it was one of Apple's first major moves into the world of audio and headphones since the failed iPod Hi-Fi. And that would lead to one of Apple's biggest success stories in Tim Cook's first decade, the 2016 launch of AirPods Beats' app technology is also seen as having influenced Apple Music.

Apple Music is just one of many services Apple has launched in recent years, including Apple TV Plus. Its services division is growing and growing, accounting for 21.47% of the company's total revenue according to Statista.Apple TV Plus may have taken a while to find its first critical hit with Ted Lasso, but Jon Stewart's new show on this service coming soon may make it a must-have service.

Then there is the Apple Watch, the industry leader in wearables and smartwatches; released in April 2015, the Watch didn't exactly take off at first, but as Apple steered a stronger focus on fitness in 2014, the device really found its audience.

And you can't use the word "pivot" without Apple Silicon. Intel launched the M1 MacBook Air and Pro in late 2020, followed by the M1 Mac mini and M1 iMac. These notebooks made huge leaps in battery life and performance, and Apple's April 2021 earnings call revealed a 70% increase in Mac revenue to $9 billion, according to MarketWatch.

However, until the latest version of the MacBook, Apple's laptops and Macs had some difficulties during Cook's tenure. The butterfly-switch MacBook Pro and Air were highly controversial, resulting in lawsuits and repair programs due to their thin design, which was considered prone to failure.

And then there's the 2013 Mac Pro. Sold on the reputation of being upgradeable, its future never materialized. Dubbed the "trash can" by many for its cylindrical design, the Mac Pro was not a hit and Apple was forced to redesign the system for the 2019 Mac Pro.

Apple under the Cook administration also faced mounting criticism for the way it managed the iOS App Store and had a serious clash with the EU over its own port. And then there is the major dispute with Epic Games over Fortnite's departure from Apple devices.

Major contenders for the title include Greg Jozwiak, aka "Joz" (senior VP of the company note), Deirdre O'Brien (who heads Apple's retail division), and COO Jeff Williams.

If Apple is looking for a CEO to replace Cook, Williams may be the most likely internal candidate. He is known for running Apple's supply chain, something that Cook was famous for before taking the top job.