List of Major iPhone Generations Launched Under Tim Cook From iPhone 4s to iPhone 17

Tim Cook led Apple as CEO from 2011 to 2026, and during this period the iPhone went through some of its biggest changes. From the larger-screen iPhone 6 and Touch ID to Face ID, 5G, Dynamic Island, USB-C, Apple Intelligence and the iPhone 17, the iPhone changed a lot during his leadership. 

This article gives a simple year-by-year list of the major iPhone generations launched during Tim Cook's time as Apple CEO, along with their launch dates and important features.

Who Is Tim Cook?

Tim Cook is an American business executive who joined Apple in 1998. Before becoming CEO, he worked as Apple's Chief Operating Officer (COO). His work included Apple's worldwide sales, operations, supply chain, service and support. 

On August 24, 2011, Apple announced that Steve Jobs had resigned as CEO and Tim Cook would become the new CEO. Steve Jobs became Chairman of the Board. 

Cook served as Apple's CEO from 2011 until September 1, 2026. He is now Apple's Executive Chairman. 

Who Was Apple CEO Before Tim Cook?

Before Tim Cook, Steve Jobs was Apple's CEO. Steve Jobs was one of Apple's founders and played a major role in bringing products such as the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad to the market.

Jobs resigned as CEO on August 24, 2011, and Apple's Board named Tim Cook as his successor. 

Who Is the Current CEO of Apple?

As of September 2026, John Ternus is the CEO of Apple. Apple announced the leadership change in April 2026. Tim Cook became Executive Chairman, while John Ternus became CEO effective September 1, 2026, and on september 9, 2026, under his leadership as CEO of Apple, iPhone 18 Pro & iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo has been launched. 

John Ternus joined Apple in 2001 and later became Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. He has worked on many generations of iPhone, Mac, iPad and Apple Watch products.

Major iPhone Generations Under Tim Cook

1. iPhone 4S — 2011

Announced: October 4, 2011
Available: October 14, 2011

The iPhone 4S was the first major iPhone launched after Tim Cook became Apple's CEO.

It kept the basic external design of the iPhone 4 but received important internal upgrades.

The biggest new feature was Siri, Apple's voice assistant. Users could ask questions, send messages, make calls, set reminders and perform other tasks using their voice.

Apple also introduced the dual-core A5 chip, an improved 8MP camera and 1080p HD video recording.

Main features

• Siri

• Dual-core A5 chip

• 8MP camera

• 1080p HD video recording

• Improved camera optics

• Improved antenna design

• Up to 64GB storage

Apple said the iPhone 4S sold more than four million units in its first three days.

2. iPhone 5 — 2012

Availability: September 21, 2012

The iPhone 5 was the major numbered iPhone generation introduced during Tim Cook's CEO period.

It came with a 4-inch Retina display, an A6 chip and a thinner aluminium body. Apple also introduced LTE support, giving users much faster mobile internet on supported networks.

Another important change was the new Lightning connector, which replaced the older 30-pin connector. 

Important new features:

• 4-inch Retina display

• LTE connectivity

• A6 chip

• Thinner and lighter aluminium body

• New Lightning connector

• Panorama camera mode

The iPhone 5 went on sale on September 21, 2012. 

3. iPhone 5s — 2013

Availability: September 20, 2013

The iPhone 5s brought one of Apple's most important security features to the iPhone — Touch ID.

Touch ID allowed users to unlock the phone with their fingerprint. It was also Apple's first smartphone with a 64-bit processor, the A7 chip.

Important new features:

• Touch ID fingerprint sensor

• A7 64-bit chip

• True Tone flash

• Improved camera

• Slow-motion video recording

Apple also launched the colourful iPhone 5c alongside the 5s.

4. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus — 2014

Availability: September 19, 2014

The iPhone 6 generation brought a major change in screen size.

The iPhone 6 had a 4.7-inch display, while the iPhone 6 Plus introduced a much larger 5.5-inch display. 

This generation also introduced Apple Pay, allowing users to make contactless payments using the iPhone.

Important new features:

• 4.7-inch iPhone 6

• 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus

• Apple Pay

• A8 chip

• Focus Pixels

• Optical image stabilisation on iPhone 6 Plus

For many users, the bigger-screen design was one of the biggest changes in the iPhone's history.

5. iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus — 2015

Availability: September 25, 2015

The iPhone 6s introduced 3D Touch.

It could detect how strongly a user pressed the display and provide different actions based on the pressure. Apple also introduced Live Photos, which captured a short moving moment around a photo. 

Important new features:

• 3D Touch

• Live Photos

• A9 chip

• 12MP rear camera

• 5MP front camera

• Rose Gold colour

3D Touch was later removed from newer iPhone models, but it was an important part of the 6s generation.

6. iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus — 2016

Availability: September 16, 2016

The iPhone 7 brought several noticeable changes.

It was the first iPhone with water and dust resistance. The iPhone 7 Plus also introduced a dual-camera system with a telephoto camera. 

Apple also introduced stereo speakers and removed the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack.

Important new features:

• Water and dust resistance

• Dual cameras on iPhone 7 Plus

• Optical zoom on the Plus model

• Stereo speakers

• A10 Fusion chip

• New solid-state Home button

The iPhone 7 was also officially launched in India in October 2016. 

7. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus — 2017

Availability: September 22, 2017

The iPhone 8 series moved from the aluminium back used by earlier models to a glass back.

This made wireless charging possible. Apple supported the widely used Qi wireless charging standard. 

Important new features:

• Glass back

• Wireless charging

• A11 Bionic chip

• True Tone display

• Portrait Lighting

• Improved cameras

• Better support for augmented reality

The iPhone 8 was launched alongside the much more radically redesigned iPhone X.

8. iPhone X — 2017

Availability: November 3, 2017

The iPhone X was one of the biggest changes in iPhone history.

Apple removed the traditional Home button and introduced an almost all-screen design. It also brought the Super Retina OLED display and Face ID. 

Important new features:

• Face ID

• TrueDepth camera

• 5.8-inch OLED display

• No physical Home button

• Animoji

• Wireless charging

Face ID replaced Touch ID for biometric unlocking on the iPhone X.

9. iPhone XS and XS Max — 2018

Availability: September 21, 2018

The iPhone XS continued the design introduced by the iPhone X.

The biggest technical upgrade was the A12 Bionic chip, Apple's first 7-nanometre smartphone chip at the time. Apple also introduced Dual SIM support on these models. 

The XS Max brought a much larger 6.5-inch display.

Important new features:

• A12 Bionic chip

• 6.5-inch XS Max

• Dual SIM

• Improved Face ID

• Improved dual-camera system

• Better water resistance

10. iPhone XR — 2018

Availability: October 26, 2018

The iPhone XR offered the iPhone X-style design at a lower starting price than the XS models.

It used a Liquid Retina LCD display instead of OLED and came in several bright colours.

The XR became one of the most popular iPhone models of its generation.

11. iPhone 11 Series — 2019

Availability: September 20, 2019

The iPhone 11 generation placed a strong focus on photography.

The standard iPhone 11 received a new Ultra Wide camera, giving users a much wider view. Apple also introduced Night mode, which helped capture brighter photos in low-light conditions. 

Important new features:

• Ultra Wide camera

• Night mode

• A13 Bionic chip

• Improved water resistance

• 12MP front camera

• 4K video from the front camera

The iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max added a third telephoto camera.

12. iPhone 12 Series — 2020

Availability: October 23, 2020

The iPhone 12 generation introduced 5G connectivity to the iPhone.

Apple also brought back a flat-edge design and introduced MagSafe, a magnetic system for wireless charging and accessories. 

Important new features:

• 5G

• MagSafe

• A14 Bionic chip

• Super Retina XDR displays

• Ceramic Shield front cover

• Flat-edge design

• iPhone 12 mini

This was also an important generation because MagSafe created a new accessory system around the iPhone.

13. iPhone 13 Series — 2021

Availability: September 24, 2021

The iPhone 13 series focused strongly on cameras and battery life.

One of the most noticeable new camera features was Cinematic mode, which automatically changes focus between people and subjects while recording video. 

Important new features:

• Cinematic mode

• Photographic Styles

• A15 Bionic chip

• Improved battery life

• Sensor-shift optical image stabilisation

• 128GB starting storage on iPhone 13

• ProMotion on iPhone 13 Pro models

14. iPhone 14 Series — 2022

Availability: September 16, 2022

The iPhone 14 generation introduced important safety features.

Apple introduced Crash Detection, which can detect a serious car crash. It also introduced Emergency SOS via satellite in supported regions.

On the Pro models, Apple introduced Dynamic Island, replacing the traditional notch with a new interactive area.

The iPhone 14 Pro models also introduced a 48MP Main camera and Always-On display. 

Important new features:

• Crash Detection

• Emergency SOS via satellite

• Dynamic Island on Pro models

• 48MP Main camera on Pro models

• Always-On display on Pro models

• Photonic Engine

15. iPhone 15 Series — 2023

Availability: September 22, 2023

The iPhone 15 generation brought one of the most visible hardware changes in recent years: USB-C.

Apple moved away from the Lightning connector and introduced USB-C across the iPhone 15 lineup.

The standard iPhone 15 models also received Dynamic Island, which had previously been limited to the iPhone 14 Pro models.

The iPhone 15 Pro models introduced a lightweight titanium design and the A17 Pro chip. 

Important new features:

• USB-C connector

• Dynamic Island on standard models

• 48MP Main camera

• A16 Bionic on iPhone 15

• Titanium design on Pro models

• A17 Pro chip on Pro models

• 5x Telephoto camera on iPhone 15 Pro Max

16. iPhone 16 Series — 2024

Availability: September 20, 2024

The iPhone 16 generation was designed with Apple's new Apple Intelligence features in mind.

Apple also introduced Camera Control, giving users a dedicated control for accessing and adjusting camera functions. 

The Action button, which had first appeared on the iPhone 15 Pro models, was also brought to the standard iPhone 16 models.

Important new features:

• Camera Control

• Apple Intelligence support

• A18 chip

• Action button

• 48MP Fusion camera

• Improved Ultra Wide camera

• Spatial photo and video capture

The iPhone 16 went on sale on September 20, 2024. 

17. iPhone 17 Series — 2025

Availability: September 19, 2025

The iPhone 17 was the final major numbered iPhone generation introduced while Tim Cook was CEO.

Apple introduced a new Center Stage front camera, which can automatically keep people in the frame during photos and videos.

The standard iPhone 17 also received a 6.3-inch ProMotion display, a 48MP Dual Fusion camera system and the A19 chip.

Important new features:

• Center Stage front camera

• 6.3-inch ProMotion display

• A19 chip

• 48MP Fusion Main camera

• 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera

• 256GB starting storage

• Ceramic Shield 2

The iPhone 17 became available on September 19, 2025.

What Did Tim Cook Do for Apple?

Tim Cook's time at Apple was not only about new iPhone models. He also changed the way Apple operated as a global company.

1. Expanded Apple's global business

Under Cook, Apple expanded its presence to more than 200 countries and territories and grew its active installed base to more than 2.5 billion devices.

2. Built Apple Services into a major business

Services became an important part of Apple's business during Cook's leadership.

Products and services such as iCloud, Apple Pay, Apple Music, Apple TV and other services became important parts of Apple's ecosystem. Apple says its Services business grew to more than $100 billion during Cook's tenure.

3. Introduced new product categories

Apple launched several important new product categories during Cook's leadership, including:

• Apple Watch

• AirPods

• Apple Vision Pro

Apple credits Cook's leadership with helping build the company's wearables business. 

4. Moved Apple toward its own chips

Another major change was Apple's move toward Apple-designed silicon.

The iPhone already used Apple's A-series chips, but under Cook the company expanded its own chip technology across more products, including Mac computers. 

5. Focus on privacy and security

Privacy became an important part of Apple's product message under Cook.

Apple says Cook made privacy and security a major part of the company's product development and decision-making. 

6. Focus on environment and sustainability

Apple also increased its focus on reducing its environmental impact during Cook's tenure.

According to Apple, the company's carbon footprint was reduced by more than 60 percent from 2015 levels, while revenue nearly doubled during the same period. 

Tim Cook's Legacy at Apple

Tim Cook's Apple was different from Steve Jobs' Apple, but the iPhone remained at the centre of the company.

Jobs was closely associated with the creation and early development of the iPhone. Cook's period was more focused on expanding the product, improving technology year after year, growing Apple's services business and taking Apple to more markets around the world.

By the end of Cook's CEO tenure in 2026, Apple had introduced many new products and services while the iPhone had moved through generations from the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 17. Apple says its annual revenue grew from $108 billion in fiscal 2011 to more than $416 billion in fiscal 2025 during Cook's tenure. 

On September 1, 2026, Tim Cook moved from CEO to Executive Chairman, ending a 15-year period as Apple's chief executive. John Ternus is now Apple's CEO.