He really just rambles on about random things. I mean it's great to see him again but I got nothing out of it.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Former Apple Design Chief Jony Ive Reflects on Company Culture, Iconic Products, and a Warning for the Tech Industry
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
He has done some good work but the iMacs he designed back in the day that caught Jobs eye are quite frankly ridiculous childish looking things.
He was very lucky to be liked by Jobs.
Jony said "
...because it's very easy for everybody to have an opinion. Everybody does.
It just doesn't mean every opinion has the same weight.
"
I'm quoting this for his haters on here. Enjoy...
...because it's very easy for everybody to have an opinion. Everybody does.
It just doesn't mean every opinion has the same weight.
"
I'm quoting this for his haters on here. Enjoy...
I'm curious if you have any earlier interviews to recommend? This was the first one I've seen and I think it's fantastic. Ive scores some misses as well as hits here but the questions are so good that if you don't like an answer you can just wait for the next one.
Absolutely one of the greatest industrial designers of all time. Amazing taste.
Sure, also an ergonomic terrorist and had cheesy ideas about HCI. Nobody's perfect. The man deserves respect.
Sure, also an ergonomic terrorist and had cheesy ideas about HCI. Nobody's perfect. The man deserves respect.
Last edited by a moderator:
Jony should have been elected Pope this week. What a missed opportunity!!
Agreed, even if people don't understand it it's better that he is no longer in loved.
He was a good half of Steve, they worked well together, one could be without the other, but that one was not I've.
His body language suggests there is something wrong with him.
It's fine, and normal to use body language to express yourself, but IMHO how he moves is beyond normal.
It may be nothing of course, he may just be nervous (though if anything he speaks as if he's too relaxed and too easy going, without a care in the world.)
But something does not look right.
He 100% need to lose weight for his own health that's for sure, and I recall around the time of the Apple Watch launch he started getting fat and putting on weight, as it was often commented at the time about he, more than anyone should be one of the people using the health and fitness aspects of the Apple Watch.
He's going downhill health wise that's for sure.
And I must say it's strange to have someone so seemingly committed to perfection in the things he wants to create whilst at the same time having no care and consideration towards his own health and body.
It's fine, and normal to use body language to express yourself, but IMHO how he moves is beyond normal.
It may be nothing of course, he may just be nervous (though if anything he speaks as if he's too relaxed and too easy going, without a care in the world.)
But something does not look right.
He 100% need to lose weight for his own health that's for sure, and I recall around the time of the Apple Watch launch he started getting fat and putting on weight, as it was often commented at the time about he, more than anyone should be one of the people using the health and fitness aspects of the Apple Watch.
He's going downhill health wise that's for sure.
And I must say it's strange to have someone so seemingly committed to perfection in the things he wants to create whilst at the same time having no care and consideration towards his own health and body.
This bloke is nobody without Steve. Just cut the crap Jonathan.
Ive and Jobs were a perfect team together. Ive was able to realize Jobs’ vision like no other person. They brought out the some of the best creative products and were trendsetters. At times they might have taken form over function to an extreme. But now we have the opposite, function over form to an extreme. It has been a while since Apple has brought out a truly iconic product. Apple makes a lot of money but, in my humble opinion, has lost its vision and innovation spirit since the Jobs-Ive dream team does not exist anymore.
This is the guy likely in charge of every ridiculous mouse in Apple’s previous lineup. He should be tied to rafters for that puck mouse on the original iMac, though I suppose his saving grace was a really, really short usb cord not making that possible.
In fairness, that puck mouse WAS a joy to use – for about the first five minutes.
He seriously needs to control weight.
Apple's former Chief Design Officer Jony Ive has given a rare and wide-ranging interview at Stripe Sessions 2025, offering new insights into his design philosophy, his time at Apple, and his current work at his design collective, LoveFrom.
In a one-hour conversation with Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison, Ive reflected on the personal and professional experiences that have shaped his career, beginning with his early exposure to Apple products as a student in the UK. Recalling his first encounter with the original Macintosh, Ive described it as a transformative moment that revealed the values of its creators.
"What we make stands testament to who we are," he said. He characterized the Mac as a "bicycle for the mind," a phrase popularized by Steve Jobs, and noted how it inspired his eventual relocation to California in the early 1990s.
Ive joined Apple in 1992 after a brief period of consulting and quickly rose through the company's ranks to lead the Industrial Design Group, where he oversaw the development of many of Apple's most iconic products, including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and Apple Watch. He emphasized that the work of design at Apple was deeply rooted in its culture; describing a variety of internal practices intended to cultivate empathy and collaboration among the design team, including weekly shared meals.
He also described working from each other's homes and creating informal settings where designers could build personal relationships, which he said translated directly into the care embedded in the company's products. According to Ive, these rituals were foundational to Apple's approach to creating user experiences. "Make things for each other," he said.
Ive continued to emphasize attention to detail and the belief that seemingly minor aspects of product design carry significant weight. He referenced the design of Apple's packaging an as example of how everyday experiences could convey respect and consideration for the user.
Ive said that such design choices were not arbitrary, but instead formed part of a broader ethic of care. He quoted Jobs, saying, "You can express gratitude to the species through what you make."
Now nearly six years removed from Apple, Ive leads LoveFrom, an independent design collective he co-founded in 2019 with longtime collaborator Marc Newson. The group remains largely private in its operations but has gradually expanded its public profile. The studio's work includes product design, architecture, software, and branding. One of its most prominent recent contributions was the official coronation identity for King Charles III.
According to Ive, LoveFrom is guided by the same principles that shaped his career at Apple, but the collective's mission has evolved. Ive sees each project as an opportunity to "sincerely elevate the species." The LoveFrom team includes not only designers but also musicians and typographers.
Ive warned that designers and technologists today must remain vigilant about the unintended consequences of their work. He argued that positive intentions do not absolve creators from the outcomes of their products and stressed the importance of accountability.
Ive also addressed broader concerns about the technology industry, including the rapid pace of innovation and the social implications of modern devices and platforms.
The interview marked a rare public appearance by Ive, who has typically maintained a low profile since his departure from Apple in 2019. He did not address collaboration with OpenAI on a new AI-focused hardware project.
Article Link: Former Apple Design Chief Jony Ive Reflects on Company Culture, Iconic Products, and a Warning for the Tech Industry
Even worse - his direction is awful. He gave us the "thin above all else" mantra that resulted in loss of iMac ports, external power bricks, reduced iPhone battery life, etc. etc. We're still cursed with the design direction he set for Apple.
Last edited:
It never stops astounding me how few people recognise what this guy did for Apple [especially on this site], making comments like 'just another designer'. Yes Jobs had the vision, but Ive has the design ability. They were a team and when Jobs died, so did the team. It certainly does not diminish what Ive did for Apple during that time.
I am wondering what amazing and groundbreaking designs Apple have done since he left. The answer is none - they are just iterations of what he did.
I am wondering what amazing and groundbreaking designs Apple have done since he left. The answer is none - they are just iterations of what he did.
Yes, the anti-Ive sentiment on this thread is amazing. Criticising him for the flat iOS 7 design (which everyone else followed) and thin devices in particular. There's so much more to what Ive brought but nonetheless I never understood the beef on thinness. Thin is light and airy, feels futuristic and high-end. There's some compromise on battery life but the way I save having to charge devices is by not owning an Apple watch or Airpods! I have a week-lasting watch from another company and plug my headphones in (the horror!). Whether the phone gets charged every 2 days or every 3 days is immaterial to me, as is an iPad going a week vs 10 days. Anyway no one has to worry now, other companies lead in thin hardware and I doubt the thing iPhone thingy with the camera bump will last any longer than the Mini. Apple is free to continue its march towards 80's era car phone form factors.
I was wondering that too. I don’t recall him being like that previously. I hope he doesn’t have a neurological condition.
Out of curiosity, what big, ugly bricks are you speaking of? MacBook Pros?
iPads have gotten thinner; iPhones are the same.
So if you’re specifically speaking about MacBook Pros, I’m glad they’re no longer thin, useless laptops with no ports.
I’m glad the chunky MacBook Pros don’t suffer from thermal issues so I can actually get some professional work done.
I’m fascinated to listen to people whose brains are wired differently. Their approach, concerns and their way of speaking can often be surprising and even challenging for me to understand. It makes me appreciate the differences in people. I could never do what he does.
So true.
So much of Apple's product line up is just utilitarian these days.
The phones are nowhere close to the same. The 16 pro/Pro Max and 8 -10% thicker and heavier than the Xs and Xs Max which where the highest end models when Ive departed, the camera bumps have taken on a life of their own.
The Macbooks are a false equivalency the new designs are working with much cooler and more power efficient silicon, the ports and keyboard are valid complaints but i'm not sure why Ive would be deciding every single aspect of the product, where are the other product people at Apple when this was happening?!
Much of the rest of the lineup is a bit boring design wise aswell. The Mac Studio for example is just a big aluminium box, the new Mac Mini is nice but wouldn't wow anybody, same with the Macbook Air.