Apple's Longtime Design Chief Jony Ive Leaving to Start New Design Company With Apple as a Primary Client

[Count Blah]

his designs are probably already baked for the next 2-3 years anyway.

There I was, looking forward to function actually playing a larger role in the design - Then YOU had to to go and do that.

Wow. Well, so many people here on this forum are hopping mad and wanted Ive gone, now you have your wish...

Ive was the one two punch combo with Steve - now the number two is gone.

I just want butt kicking computers - doesn't matter who is at the helm.

Jobs was able to corral him - allowed him to go nuts, then reeled him in. Tim appears to have just said, 'Do whatever you want'.

I know which relationship I preferred. How about you?

 

[Defthand]

Exactly. I'm not sure what I think about this change. I would rather see a clean break with him than to have Apple hiring on an outside firm to do its design work, even if it is headed by Ive. Apple really needs to keep design in-house and continue to innovate. Hiring an outside firm to handle what is the main distinguishing feature of Apple -- its design -- is IMO a poor route to follow. But I'm happy for them to prove me wrong.

It may surprise you then that Apple relied on outside talent to design the first iMac and iPod.

I agree that a clean and permanent break would be best. It would motivate his successors to dream and evolve. In all likelihood, Apple's commitment to Ive is insincere PR pleasantries. We'll see if either party wants a working relationship.

 

[mtneer]

Fantastic news. Long time coming. Feeling excited about Apple’s design future now.

 

[MrRabuf]

I don't know why so many praise this guy so much. Sure, I certainly like the design of Apple products in general and get he's a reason Apple got back on track but there's been a ton of failures lately due to their design. Trashcan Mac Pro (why the hell did anyone at Apple think that was a good idea?), computers that are too thin to adequately cool themselves and thus thermal throttle when pushed (among other problems that were caused because they were too damn thin), the notch, laptops with terrible keyboards, etc. This looks to me like a nice way of firing him. It was time for him to move on.

Sure, I want Apple products to look cool but not at the cost of functionality. Hopefully, this transition will allow that to happen.

 

[Tozovac]

Wow, wow, wow.

I know. Great news huh?
[doublepost=1561679217][/doublepost]

Rubbish. Ive is a genius. I expect, Apple's / Ive's design direction has been instilled in Ive's protegés ready to take his position, but Ive is still a genius. The late Steve Jobs (RIP) was wise to hire Jonny Ive and Avie Tevanian and all the hugely talented OS interface designers to manage company's software and hardware. Although inevitable, it is still a shame that everyone, at one point or another, ends up leaving the company - Avie, Rubinstein, Serlet, and now Ive… and countless genius OS UI designers & programmers.
In any case, Jonathan Ive is Apple in a way, as Jobs was - one of the most iconic figures to represent the company.

...who turned into a mad one-trick-pony genius.

 

[koruki]

Look at all these bitter comments lol, what a cancer. Guy's leaving .. if you guys don't like him so much shouldn't you be happy, oh wait.. you lot aren't capable of that are you lol.

 

[tito2020]

Why now ?

I think they're NOT telling us something !

Some internal battle OR debate that we don't know about !

you think new iphone camera lol

 

[koruki]

I don't know why so many praise this guy so much. Sure, I certainly like the design of Apple products in general and get he's a reason Apple got back on track but there's been a ton of failures lately due to their design. Trashcan Mac Pro (why the hell did anyone at Apple think that was a good idea?), computers that are too thin to adequately cool themselves and thus thermal throttle when pushed (among other problems that were caused because they were too damn thin), the notch, laptops with terrible keyboards, etc. This looks to me like a nice way of firing him. It was time for him to move on.

Sure, I want Apple products to look cool but not at the cost of functionality. Hopefully, this transition will allow that to happen.

I think like the article said, his work can't be overstated during Apple's resurgence .. what I think is that like any obsessed designer, you need someone like Jobs around to throw out stuff and throw things back to get tweaked. The problem is after Job's was no longer around, Ive's status was too high up at Apple for anyone to have the balls to disagree with him. Tim certainly wouldn't put him on the stand when something looked stupid. Steve was the only one who had the stature to do that and the last several years we've seen what happens when Designers, no matter how great, got free reign. Ive himself told stories of when Steve would just tear into him for designs that he felt was sub par

 

[CrazyForApple]

Wow, I can't believe this. Sad day for Apple and every Apple fan.

 

[LeoNobilis]

Settle down guys... Forstall is a software engineer, not a designer.

…and a spearfishing piece of ****.

 

[jgbr]

This

Jobs very clearly played the role of much-needed editor to Ive's design work. That's why after Jobs died, Apple became a fashion company with form over function. It was clear that Tim Cook lacked the ability or willingness to say no to Ive.

 

[Khedron]

Jony! Thanks so much for some awesome designs through the years. With that said, I'm not sad to see him go, seems Apple has been fashion over function in the recent years. Ready to see what the next page in Apples history has to offer.

You think that will decrease with Tim swooning over celebrities?

 

[mrxak]

First, Angela and now this. Must be a hammer blow to the morale at Apple to see two possible CEOs jump overboard.

You seriously thought either one of those people would ever be the CEO of Apple?

 

[sledgehammer89]

Finally the end of AAPL Keyboards in current MacBooks!

 

[femike]

He pronounces it as:
AlumiNIUM

I do too. We all do here. Maybe there are countries outside the US?

 

[mikethemartian]

Well its back to this then, I guess.

Beige is the new black.

 

[chumpy34]

Makes me nervous about his reasoning for quitting, yes it makes sense he wants to move on to other things and starting his own company and such, but the timing is really strange and just wondering what "other things we might not know" are happening inside Apple these days? I know most people want Tim to go but I think that would be truly the end of Apple, I hope Tim stays for awhile and keeps the ship sailing.

 

[timborama]

Ive can focus more time on designing Xmas trees. →

 

[Khedron]

Exactly. I'm not sure what I think about this change. I would rather see a clean break with him than to have Apple hiring on an outside firm to do its design work, even if it is headed by Ive. Apple really needs to keep design in-house and continue to innovate. Hiring an outside firm to handle what is the main distinguishing feature of Apple -- its design -- is IMO a poor route to follow. But I'm happy for them to prove me wrong.

Being independent means Ive doesn't need to use Apple products and won't have to deal with touch disease

 

[mikethemartian]

Nope.
"an independent design company which will count Apple among its primary clients"

Well did he say they have already signed a contract? Because if some other company like Microsoft offers his firm more money for their services his partners will expect him to take the larger contract.

 

[SoGood]

Sad but a reality of the commercial world. Who will replace him and will 'style' remain a key driver of Apple products? It's a worrying time for Apple.

 

[itsamacthing]

I think its a positive thing and will create more opportunities for new and fresh ideas from new people to come forward. Ive is great, but he's not the only designer with great ideas and he certainly could learn a thing or two about thermals or over-thinning MPs. Also, Ive can go and help other firms now design better products which will have a positive impact on the overall economy. Happy to see this news

 

[hsotnicam8002]

"LoveFrom" - very punchy name in the cut-throat world of Far East competition.

 

[mrxak]

The “good riddance” comments are very funny. Did you know that he’s likely the reason you’re even at all excited about Apple enough to be in this forum.

We are attracted to Apple because of his design. I can’t say the same about the quality of the software, because it has been extra buggy for years. But the design and human interface, and the way you interact with the hardware, a lot of that is thanks to Jony.

iPhones have actually gotten larger and heavier, and have more volume, not less. So the “thinner” comments make no sense either. Apple is not going for “as thin as possible” they are rather going for “just make sure it’s not actually thick.”

I however, have faith in the products to come. As Steve left a solid company, that’s the best product he built. And I do foresee great designs to come, as Jony left a design language in the team.

Looking at 5-10 years from now, I can see things starting to naturally drift. If consumer products in general are any indication, likely not in the right direction.

I got into Apple products before Jony Ive was in charge of anything, so don't try to school me on the history of Apple products or my own enthusiasm (for what they used to be). The best designs that Jony Ive takes credit for, were all edited by Steve Jobs, following largely Steve's vision in most cases. It was their partnership, not Jony Ive by himself, that was good, and good for Apple. Without Steve Jobs, Jony Ive's designs have been merely evolutionary, and usually in the wrong directions and for the wrong reasons. Tim Cook was never able or willing to say no to him, and nearly every complaint I have about Apple products since Steve Jobs died is directly traceable to Jony Ive's design ideology.

So yes, good riddance. I wouldn't be saying that if Steve Jobs was still alive, and if Steve Jobs was still alive I don't think Jony Ive would be leaving. Unfortunately, Apple and the world lost Steve Jobs to some stupid hippie nonsense, and Jony Ive lost his editor and his sanity-check. That's tragic. But I won't pretend that Jony Ive has been some amazing design executive on his own these past years, because he hasn't been. The fact is, I haven't been excited about Apple enough to be in this forum. I haven't bought an Apple product in quite some time, and that's in large part because of Jony Ive. I only came back to comment on this article because somebody else told me Ive was leaving, and I wanted to post some comments about Apple's potential to win me back to the company now that he's finally out of the way.

 

[psingh01]

Maybe dumping the trashcan for another cheese grater tower was the last straw.