Jonathan Ive interview

[iGav]

Interesting interview with the man that makes Apple look so fresh.

Rinky dink link

 

[zelmo]

Thanks for the link, iGav. That was a great read. The convergence of the Apple philosophy on ease of use and Ives' innovative design (and fanatical attention to detail) have created a slew of radically wonderful products for us Apple fans. What a perfect marriage. Every time I think they've achieved the ideal form (iMac G4, iPod mini), they miraculously improve upon it with the next iteration (iMac G5, iPod nano). I can't wait to see what the new InteliMac products look like.
I just hope they can continue to innovate together for many years to come.

 

[Cooknn]

I think Steve should groom Ive to run the company if/when he ever retires. Jonathan has charisma and is obviously a very gifted person. We need someone like that at the helm to take Apple into the future

 

[Lord Blackadder]

This just reminds me how critical product design is to Apple's success. Apple has built its reputation on two things: Beautiful, well designed hardware and ease of use.

 

[Lau]

Cheers, iGav. It's always really interesting to hear how people who have designed the most incredible things talk about how it happened and what makes them tick.

 

[treblah]

I think Steve should groom Ive to run the company if/when he ever retires. Jonathan has charisma and is obviously a very gifted person. We need someone like that at the helm to take Apple into the future

Seconded!
I remember a video of Ive talking about design and Apple and you could tell he and Jobs seem like a match made in heaven. I would also like to see Ive in a more public role in the company.

 

[katie ta achoo]

I would also like to see Ive in a more public role in the company.

I hear that!
I mean, we use products that this man has designed EVERY DAY. (well, I do.. PowerBook.. iPod.. iPod Shuffle... but most of y'all have iMacs and the like)

If there were no Jonathan Ive, I fear we'd be on big, ugly beige boxes, or hideously ugly black and blue. (But... Toshiba says it looks cool! )

It'd be cool if he gave little speeches when the new things were introduced.. I'm not sure of what he'd actually talk about, but it'd be cool nonetheless.

...I wonder what's coming next! Homes has some MAJOR chops!


I wonder if he gets offended when he sees a Modded Mac that he designed...
Just a thought.

 

[Lacero]

G3 iBooks, people! Lest we also forget the beautifully designed hockey puck mouse and kiddie keyboard.

 

[iGav]

I wonder if he gets offended when he sees a Modded Mac that he designed...

Just a thought.

From previous Ive interviews I've read, I get the impression he's incredibly precious regarding his work... I doubt he'd be offended as such though.

 

[treblah]

I hear that!
...
It'd be cool if he gave little speeches when the new things were introduced.. I'm not sure of what he'd actually talk about, but it'd be cool nonetheless.

New Rule: Every Keynote or special event, Ive gets to introduce something, anything!

 

[katie ta achoo]

New Rule: Every Keynote or special event, Ive gets to introduce something, anything!

Hmm...
Jobs is going on and blablabla, etc,
"Just one more thing..."

and out walks Ive with the G5 PowerBook.*

crowd goes into wild applause

That'd be pretty sweet.

*or something, I don't know what new stuff they have.

 

[Dr. Dastardly]

I would just settle for one of those little Ive movies when they introduce a new product like the iMac G4 and G5. I always get a little kick having him describe all the little nueances and details in the product.

I get the feeling that he is a bit shy. I have never seen him on stage (I know he has been for design interviews and such, but those are slightly smaller crowds) at a keynote or anything. Just infront of a camera sitting in a chair.

That and we are all spoiled with Jobs ability to publicly speak.

 

[jiv3turkey748]

ive is awesome

i dont see how anyone could design the imac g4 or g5 i just cant belive someone can think up a design that original

 

[JupiterTwo]

ive is awesome

i dont see how anyone could design the imac g4 or g5 i just cant belive someone can think up a design that original

Ive has great ability, but what is more impressive to me is we have the pairing of an innovative designer and a company willing to produce those designs. That's the combination that makes Apple the company it is today. (imho of course )

 

[Abstract]

And that is why I can never be a designer.

I just don't get it.

 

[DeepIn2U]

@iGav, many thanks for that link.

Some things I'd like to see when the next Macs - IntelMac's - are announced. I would like to see Jobs talk about how we use computers & how they've evolved. Really casually like, then have say iChatAV with Ive in a backroom behind the stage speaking about the same thing, then he says suddenly hang on, then leaves the iChatAV screen. BUT not before we, the viewers, catch a nonchalant view of a distinctively sweet laptop/desktop. Then, Ive comes on-stage with a laptop in hand. The convo continues and then BAMM! There it is. ... ... well something along those lines.


Seriously though; I think we all, Apple product owners/users, and fans awaiting to own/use - myself - need to read that article. Why??

In the 1970s, Apple talked about being at the intersection of technology and the arts. I think that the product qualities are really consequent to the bigger goals that were established when the company was founded. The defining qualities are about use: ease and simplicity. Caring beyond the functional imperative, we also acknowledge that products have a significance way beyond traditional views of function.

MAN! How many times have any of use sat in from of our Macs (or someone else's; even standing) and within just a few minutes didnt even notice the computer and be completely submerged in sublime heaven in our work?! Or enter a room with a Mac in it and its part of the Phueng Shuei like energy of the room?!!

I was struck by the care taken with the whole user experience.

Dude I felt this twice ... back in 1983-84 with the Apple IIc when comparing it in computer class in gr4 with the Commodore PET! Then again using a friends machine for 3 months on OS X 10.1.5!

The more I learnt about this cheeky almost rebellious company the more it appealed to me, as it unapologetically pointed to an alternative in a complacent and creatively bankrupt industry. Apple stood for something and had a reason for being that wasn’t just about making momey.

My boy here is running for CEO with this quote. However he is right & I hope Apple never again looses this vision.

More than ever I am aware that what we have achieved with design is massively reliant on the commitment of lots of different teams to solve the same problems and on their sharing the same goals. I like being part of something that is bigger than design. There is a loyalty that I have for Apple and a belief that this company has an impact beyond design which feels important.

That comfirms that MS, nor HP, nor Dell - funny it rymes with Hell, lol, will buy him over.

We have assembled a heavenly design team. By keeping the core team small and investing significantly in tools and process we can work with a level of collaboration that seems particularly rare. Our physical environment reflects and enables that collaborative approach. The large open studio and massive sound system support a number of communal design areas. We have little exclusively personal space. In fact, the memory of how we work will endure beyond the products of our work.

This is the reason I spend a full 4hrs of my waking hours thinking about owning & using a Mac!!

And lastly ....
Polymer advances mean that we can now create composites to meet very specific functional goals and requirements. From a processing point of view we can now do things with plastic that we were previously told were impossible.[/Quote] ..... & More .....

Metal forming and, in particular, new methods of joining metals with advanced adhesives and laser welding is another exciting area at right now.

I seperated these two from the same paragraph since the core of it highlighted the iPod Nano. But, is he taking about upcoming products? Laser welding? Can we expect to see less than 1/2 the thickness of the human hair in lines of an upcoming portable Mac? Or even never again feel heat from extensive use of a PowerBook, when the battery can last 5+hours on a full charge?!

Oh just 1 more, sorry ....

Being superficially different is the goal of so many of the products we see. A preoccupation with differentiation is the concern of many corporations rather than trying to innovate and genuinely taking the time, investing the resources and caring enough to try and make something better.

Sounds like M$ here

 

[Santaduck]

I wonder if he was behind the Mighty Mouse? It's a disaster IMHO, and I'd be surprised if he was a central figure in this disappointing product.

 

[Cooknn]

I wonder if he was behind the Mighty Mouse? It's a disaster IMHO, and I'd be surprised if he was a central figure in this disappointing product.

Well, I disagree with you there. I love the Mighty Mouse.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I get the feeling that he is a bit shy. I have never seen him on stage (I know he has been for design interviews and such, but those are slightly smaller crowds) at a keynote or anything.

Yeah, that's the impression I've got of him from interviews I've seen in the past. He comes across as quite guarded and private but at the same time very passionate design work. I suppose he's rather be creating new products than talking about them.

 

[Abstract]

Just because he doesn't feel comfortable getting up on stage and acting like a salesperson, or doing lots of interviews and such, doesn't mean he's shy.

I'm not shy at all, and yet I'd probably have lots of trouble doing an interview. The one time I did an interview for a reporter, I thought I sounded like an idiot.

 

[honypony]

Great to see him get recognition - most people who think about apple industrial-design seem to think, most of the work of is done by Steve Jobs himself.

ive certainly is THE best industrial designers in digital-livestyle stuff
today (although I also like some of the new logitech designs like the dinovo bluetooth keyboard), and the public is becoming more and more aware- came across this the other day:

http://www.spreadshirt.com/shop.php?op=articles&motive_id=396461

Sadly, they only seem sell in the US. I would buy an Ive-Shirt in a minute