Jony Ive Named Chief Design Officer at Apple, Alan Dye and Richard Howarth Take Over Day-to-Day Design Management

[jjlannoo]

Companies creating new, higher & higher titles and promoting people to them reminds me of when companies were creating VP positions for everything under the sun. Everyone you'd meet was a VP of something. VP of Inside Sales! VP of Scheduling! VP of Fire Drills!

VP of Design would probably be fitting for Jony.
Or maybe even just VP.


Even if everything he's done to the UI makes me miserable.

They need a VP of razors.

 

[CTYankee]

Anyone else find this photo awkward? Jonny looks like he didn't know what to do with this arms, so folded them like a shy 12 year old. The guy on the right looks like he needs to to to the bathroom ASAP (or had an accident moments before the photo was taken). The guy on the left...well compared to the other two he looks perfectly natural in his "I'm too cool for your photo" slouchy sitting pose.

 

[Macist]

This is clearly succession planning. Ive has had such a major hand in the look of Apple products for so long now when is the right time to bring in the new Jony Ives and trust them with major news products?

This gives him the chance to be the closest thing to the new Jobs - the one that says, 'That's not good enough yet' or 'Scrap that, it's crap'. My guess is he wants to remain part of the Apple story rather than, say, go set up a design house somewhere else and take on different challenges.

 

[El Hikaru]

Congratulation on the promotion.

I have seen competitors are trying to copy his works and even dialect.

 

[bobob]

So basically he's now got Steve Jobs' job.

Jobs didn't handle the operational or managerial functions of the company. He handled overall product vision, aesthetics, etc. Tim Cook handled all the unsexy stuff--and he was the best person in the world to do it.

They couldn't just ram Ive into this new role following Jobs' passing--though he was likely already doing much of it. The company had to be left in the hands of a single, well-known and capable manager. Now that Cook has kept it together and profits have continued to soar, it's ok to start showing the big picture.

The titles may be different, but at this point, Ive is doing what Jobs used to do (and likely did even when Jobs was there) and Cook is doing what he always did behind the scenes. It'll be interesting to see if this means that Ive takes a more public role at keynotes. Training for that part of the role could have been done and might make sense.

Very astute assessment!

 

[FieldingMellish]

Looking at the photo of Jony, I’m happy he hasn’t succumbed to getting one of those atrocious me-to giant arm covering tattoos that I see far too many burdened with.

 

[thekeyring]

I always love reading Stephen Fry's posts. Why have they still not knighted him?!

Although, I don't know how I really feel about this article itself. To me, it seems like maybe they have given Jony a less involved role to ease the announcement of his eventual (soon?) retirement...

I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not too worried. We've seen Alan Dye's work on iOS 7 and while I didn't enjoy the design language of it at first, the previous versions of iOS starting with iOS 6 are starting to look a bit old.

This could be the opposite. Give him a less involved roll to ensure he only focuses on exactly what he wants. He's still around to ensure design doesn't change, and because he's only doing what he wants, he's in no rush to retire.

 

[scottsjack]

OK, so there's no more Steve. He died. Tim is just a paper pusher and cheerleader. That leaves Jony. The guy who designed the ugly Mac Pro and that hideous bench is making the decisions. Pray for Apple.

 

[fabrica64]

Apple helmet

Very nice the apple logo on the iHelmet!

 

[prowlmedia]

Jony Ive, the man who has single handedly taken apple computers from being a computer company, to a disposable fashion accessory company.

Don't get me wrong, he is making apple a LOT of money, and in that respect props to him and apple, they are doing what a company should be doing, making money, but he has also destroyed the ability of the computing side of the company, that they no longer seem to care about, making hardware that is to be of no use to anyone but casual users, there was a time that Mac OS and apple hardware was a robust , and sustainable workhorse, now however they overheat and throttle under load because heat vents and fan ports are "ruining" Jony Ives design aesthetics,

Steve Job and Jony Ive were needed for balance, Steve demanded that the end product and the user experience to be seamless and fluid wrapped in a superb design, with Jony Ive its all form over function.

Just my Opinion, one of someone who has had to switch back to windows and a PC, because the Apple computers i am now looking at to replace my aging kit are no longer up to the job of actual work.

Completely disagree. Apple have never sold so many computers or had such a following. Nor had such well developed software or hardware. Granted they used to make servers but the market was so limited there was no point.

I've no idea what you do for work but I do very high end 3d for film and TV at 4K+ and my various Mac Pros and MacBook Pros never falter. Billions of Polygon 3d Work I am talking here based on Millions of element CAD work.

I don't disagree that you can build a faster PC for your money, but they are never as stable. You can buy one from a Specialist company but they are also expensive. And of course you have to live with windows. I've recently tried win 10... and guess what same old rubbish wrapped up in a new skin. Terrible font handling, The complete FUBAR that is the Registry, Mish-mash of Apps and styles - this all may change of course, but don't count on it.

I have a PC that can run 40-50% faster than my 12 core mac pro fully loaded. but it cost £10K ($15K) and it falls over regularly in Maya under Windows. I've actually resorted to Linux Red Hat for it but that has it's own issues. The only Windows machine I have that is very stable is a Windows 7 with 4 SLI 980s that does GPU rendering. But there is nothing else on it apart from the renderer. Not even office, That's the worst thing about windows. Works well to start then gets gummed up like a gunky gearbox when you actually add applications.

 

[steve333]

Please get Ivy far away from software
With the thin neutering of the Mini and iMac I wouldn't mind him getting far away from manufacturing as well.

 

[DVDRAMMER]

"j-o-n-y" in English-language convention is pronounced "joe-nee".

Not sure why he insists on calling himself "johnny" other than being a pompous jerk.

 

[whatos]

Exactly my thoughts. The first time I saw the Apple watch, all I could think was "that's it?!" I saw the light and left Apple's walled garden (prison camp) a couple of years ago, but I must admit that traditionally they've always had the most aesthetically pleasing hardware. It's the main driver of their continued success with the non-technical majority. Apple watch and the iPhone 6 are just mediocre though compared to what Apple has put out in the past.

The Apple watch is way too geeky looking, and it's just not very pretty when when looked at as hardware alone. As a nerd who'd have no problem wearing a geeky watch around, Apple watch just looks tacky to me. It's the equivalent of spending $20k pimping out your Honda Civic. They kept the same calculator watch design that's been around forever and just made it shiny and slapped on an astronomical price tag. It's not a "compelling" (hahaha) form factor. This is exactly what Apple was supposed to change amount smartwatches.

I'm not saying round is the way to go, but a flat rectangular screen in a rectangular case just isn't an elegant look. Being that Apple is totally willing to sacrifice practicality for aesthetics on the iPhone - sacrificing battery life and ergonomics to make it unnecessarily thin, one would think they'd do the same when the item is actually a fashion accessory. The only reasonable explanation is that they went that way to keep the BOM cost low and boost profit margins. Either that or they've lost their touch.

Same thing with the iPhone 6s. They're just a less attractive copy of the HTC One's design. They're using LCD screens even though AMOLED are objectively better at this point to cut costs. They both have huge bezels making the already huge iPhone 6 Plus have larger dimensions than phones with larger screens. It's 7mm thin though, since shaving that extra mm of thickness off makes it easier to fit a lunch tray into your pocket. Then there's still only 1 Gb or ram and the base model is crippled with 16Gb of storage.

Even if you love Apple's products, do you not realize that Jobs and Ive aren't Gods. They're really both just talented guys who got lucky. They were in the right place at the right time for their skillsets to shine. Talented I'd apply to Ive more than Jobs. Jobs' secret to success was largely being an extremely arrogant sociopath. It didn't work out so well earlier in his career, but once he got in a position of power, his ability to claim superiority over others and manipulate people put Apple on its path to success. I won't go into it, but it's just like how women tend to be more attracted to guys who don't act interested in them. Apple's elusive nature is exactly that. They treat you crappy and don't care about your concerns, so they must be superior!

Apple's corporate structure is itself marketing. Do you really think Ive has that much influence over Apple's products? And if he does, like others have stated, that's not necessarily something to be proud of with the latest products.

There is a very real possibility that Ive would be just another nameless designer in the trenches at Apple if he didn't have that sexy British accent that Americans love. Seriously, his position at Apple has little to do with his design skills at this point. I'm not saying he doesn't still sign off on things etc or even that he's not very talented, but Apple is a religion, and the followers need a leader to show them the way. Now that Jobs is gone, Apple needs another figurehead with an air of superiority and exclusivity to keep it's followers in line. Someone to tell them what's good for them, so they don't have to make their own decisions (paradox of choice). And what's best for people just happens to be whatever pulls the most money out of their pockets every year.

Announcements like this one are literally propaganda. Apple wants you to be loyal to these infallible Godlike figures rather than the product itself. Why do you need to know anything about these guys? I'm sure there are other products that you like. Do you closely follow every detail of the management of those companies? It's one thing to see someone as a role model in your field, but it's a huge conflict of interest when that person is constantly preaching about a "compelling" new product that you need, and how you shouldn't be making any decisions yourself because they'll tell you what's best for you. And if you don't like something that doesn't mean the product isn't for you, you're just wrong, so don't speak up.

Very.... very well said!

It's time for Apple to push itself outside of their comfort zone. With vast resources and some of the best people in R&D... Apple's capable of so much more. I have been an Apple user/enthusiast/shareholder for many years, I have first hand knowledge of their strengths.

Now that they've mastered marketing and brand building its time to put the pedal to the metal and create some truly world class products.

 

[mpavilion]

I really adore Ive's design, as much as I adore the designs of the people who inspired him. I find the hatred against him hard to understand. Just because he is European and can pronounce aluminium properly seems to be a valid reason to be horrible about him. I think, he coped very well with his fame. He doesn't come across as some arrogant idiot. And I hope he can now spend some time in the EU, to actually see how many features we are missing over here, that have been available in other places for years.

"Aluminum" is spelled differently in the UK and U.S., thus the different pronunciations.

 

[mpavilion]

They could all take a page from the Italian handbook of proper dressing in casual situations: a light colored dress shirt (tucked in), nice jeans (dark, no holes), leather shoes (brown, not cheap black leather), belt matching the shoes. Wear a grey jacket to dress it further up.

Why do the black leather shoes necessarily have to be "cheap"(?) You won't get many people in U.S. wearing brown shoes and belt with dark jeans; that's a very specifically European look. (It looks nice, just not culturally the norm here.)

 

[Rogifan]

Looking at the photo of Jony, I’m happy he hasn’t succumbed to getting one of those atrocious me-to giant arm covering tattoos that I see far too many burdened with.

And no earring(s). I remember that Microsoft executive who shaved his head and got an earring I guess in an attempt to look cool...

 

[69650]

Maybe Apple just wants him focussed on creating new products rather than updates to the existing product lines. Without all the day-to-day stuff he has the breathing space to do that.

 

[Rogifan]

Maybe Apple just wants him focussed on creating new products rather than updates to the existing product lines. Without all the day-to-day stuff he has the breathing space to do that.

Finally someone who gets it. You don't create a C-suite level position for someone who has one foot out the door. And it's not like Ive has no direct reports, he just has fewer than he had before. If he was really looking to retire he'd be taking on less work not more.

 

[peterdevries]

Why do the black leather shoes necessarily have to be "cheap"(?) You won't get many people in U.S. wearing brown shoes and belt with dark jeans; that's a very specifically European look. (It looks nice, just not culturally the norm here.)

I admit that was a bit hyperbolic. Black is not necessarily cheap. But in general, rejected brown leather for shoes etc is processed and dyed into black leather. That is the reason natural brown shoes are usually more expensive than black ones.

And you are correct that it is a European look. I admit that I find it weird to see everyone in a grey suit with dark tie and black shoes and a black formless holdall for papers and laptops in both the UK and US.

 

[Jayomat]

Completely disagree. Apple have never sold so many computers or had such a following. Nor had such well developed software or hardware. Granted they used to make servers but the market was so limited there was no point.

I've no idea what you do for work but I do very high end 3d for film and TV at 4K+ and my various Mac Pros and MacBook Pros never falter. Billions of Polygon 3d Work I am talking here based on Millions of element CAD work.

I don't disagree that you can build a faster PC for your money, but they are never as stable. You can buy one from a Specialist company but they are also expensive. And of course you have to live with windows. I've recently tried win 10... and guess what same old rubbish wrapped up in a new skin. Terrible font handling, The complete FUBAR that is the Registry, Mish-mash of Apps and styles - this all may change of course, but don't count on it.

I have a PC that can run 40-50% faster than my 12 core mac pro fully loaded. but it cost £10K ($15K) and it falls over regularly in Maya under Windows. I've actually resorted to Linux Red Hat for it but that has it's own issues. The only Windows machine I have that is very stable is a Windows 7 with 4 SLI 980s that does GPU rendering. But there is nothing else on it apart from the renderer. Not even office, That's the worst thing about windows. Works well to start then gets gummed up like a gunky gearbox when you actually add applications.

you have obviously no idea what you are doing

 

[mpavilion]

I admit that was a bit hyperbolic. Black is not necessarily cheap. But in general, rejected brown leather for shoes etc is processed and dyed into black leather. That is the reason natural brown shoes are usually more expensive than black ones.

And you are correct that it is a European look. I admit that I find it weird to see everyone in a grey suit with dark tie and black shoes and a black formless holdall for papers and laptops in both the UK and US.

In your honor, today I'm wearing brown shoes with an outfit for which I would normally choose black shoes...

 

[peterdevries]

In your honor, today I'm wearing brown shoes with an outfit for which I would normally choose black shoes...

I hope you will survive the avalanche of women that will flood your office.

 

[iZac]

I wonder if you can get fired at Apple now, for wearing a traditional timepiece?

 

[prowlmedia]

you have obviously no idea what you are doing

I know it's sarcasm Green Grinning Emoticon clearly states that... but the 2 people that liked it... do they know... do they?

Anyways... I totally agree 3 misguided years in 96-99 of being a MSCE and I still have no idea how it holds together most of the time.

But that's also the point. If you have a lot of applications and devices Windows requires maintenance either by a tech spod or yourself... and well. It's time i'd rather be in the pub, on a bike, flying a hang glider or even Zod forbid, Working. Computer maintenance is Boring.

 

[Rogifan]

John Gruber weighed in:

A simpler way to look at this would be to see Ive having been promoted to, effectively, the new Steve Jobs: the overseer and arbiter of taste for anything and everything the company touches. One difference: Jobs, famously, was intimately involved with Apple’s advertising campaigns. Cook, in his internal memo, wrote: “Jony’s design responsibilities have expanded from hardware and, more recently, software UI to the look and feel of Apple retail stores, our new campus in Cupertino, product packaging and many other parts of our company.” But, still, it’s hard not to read Cook’s description of Ive’s responsibilities as pretty much matching those of Steve Jobs while he was CEO.

Lastly, a title can just be a title, but Apple has only had three C-level executives in the modern era (excepting CFOs, whose positions are legally mandated): Jobs (CEO, duh) Cook (COO under Jobs, now CEO), and now Jony Ive (CDO).1 It’s possible this title is more ceremonial than practical, but Tim Cook doesn’t strike me as being big on ceremony. Apple doesn’t exactly throw around senior vice-presidentships lightly, either, but a new C-level title is almost unprecedented.

I can see Cook-Ive as a sort of titular reversal of the Jobs-Cook C-level leadership duo. Cook oversees operations and “running the company”; Ive oversees everything else. So they created a new title to convey the authority Ive already clearly wielded, and promoted Dye and Howarth, his trusted lieutenants, to free him from administrative drudgery. I could be wrong, and we’ll know after a few years, but that’s my gut feeling today.

I do agree with Gruber that Tim Cook doesn't seem like someone who would create new titles for ceremonial reasons, especially a C-level title. And I don't think it's a coincidence the new role isn't effective until July 1 (after the current fiscal quarter). But I'm still curious if this CDO title makes Ive 3rd in line at the company (behind Cook and the CFO)? And when Cook says Ive's responsibilities have expanded to "many other parts of our company" I wonder what exactly he means. He specifically called out the new campus and retail stores so this would be in addition to that. Hmm...