Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, to retire after 27 years

Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer and Tim Cook’s long-time lieutenant, is retiring after spending 2 1/2 decades turning the company into an operational machine, capable of making more than 200 million iPhones a year at low prices that allowed the company to rake in tremendous profits.

The retirement of Williams, 62, who was long considered Cook’s most likely successor, means that Apple’s next CEO is likely to be one of the company’s other leaders. Apple analysts and observers say possible candidates for the job include John Ternus, the company’s head of hardware engineering; Craig Federighi, its head of software; and Eddy Cue, its head of services.