New Profile Delves Into Background of Jony Ive Successor Jeff Williams

[hybrid_x]

So, design at Apple is officially dead, and the company is being run by operations guys who "see where we are, not where we need to be in years to come."

Innovation, invention, and design are officially dead.

 

[D.T.]

I hear Jeff likes triangles ... prepare yourself.

 

[BootsWalking]

As Apple users I think it's more important we learn about Evans Hankey, who will actually be replacing Ive in the design role.

 

[deconstruct60]

When Jony Ive announced that he is leaving Apple to start his own design firm, Apple confirmed that chief operating officer Jeff Williams is set to oversee many of the product design responsibilities previously held by Ive.
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Article Link: New Profile Delves Into Background of Jony Ive Successor Jeff Williams

The title of this whole thread and the notion of this first sentence is HORRIBLY wrong, misguided and not particularly factual at all.

The Chief Operating Officer typically run the whole company. He is in charge of Apple tactically doing most of what they "do". That Apple also announced a new SVP of Operation is even further more indicative that the COO scope is bigger.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in that kind of context doesn't do most of the tactical day-to-day operations. Whether Apple should but $xx billion into cars or media context or buy company Z or invest in company W are all longer term strategic moves. The overall long term path for the blended mix of stuff that the company is doing. That is what would primarily occupy the CEO when there is a COO (and SVP Operations) present.

Williams is not particular being put in charge of design as much as being put in charge of running a larger chunk of the overall whole company. The parts of that, including design, will report into him.

Is having a 'C' level title for design necessary? No. What the individuals do is far more important than some title on their business card. This whole brouhaha over Williams over design is all about chasing superficial titles gossip and not about what people actually do.

Did having a 'C' level design title bring a better keyboard to the Mac Laptop line up in 2016-2018? No. Did it bring products that were straight forward to make and repair? Nope. What folks do matters far more than ego posturing titles.


The way this is being couched is just serious click bait far more than it has to do with reality.

 

[smulji]

We keep forgetting the part where Apple will be a key client for Jony’s new company ‘Lovefrom’. This means, for next 5 years at least, we will still be seeing the work of Jony come out of Apple. The question is, will this be an ongoing relationship? Because to me, it seems like Jony also wants to move beyond the shadow of Apple.

This from a Wired article just recently:

"Apple will be the new firm's first client and, to stabilise things further, LoveFrom will even be based inside the Ive-designed Apple Park. In short, Ive's impeccable taste, design principles and rigour will be on hand for years to come."

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/jony-ive-apple-replacement-jeff-williams

 

[skitidetdu]

We keep forgetting the part where Apple will be a key client for Jony’s new company ‘Lovefrom’. This means, for next 5 years at least, we will still be seeing the work of Jony come out of Apple. The question is, will this be an ongoing relationship? Because to me, it seems like Jony also wants to move beyond the shadow of Apple.

I don’t think Ive will be that much included in decisions on the design and materials. He’ll be more of a consultant for the team on a regular basis. But if he thinks they are heading in a wrong direction and they are too far in the process his thoughts will be of less value. But this is a scenario I don’t hope for. I hope he will be part of weekly meetings and updates were he can evaluate without having the pressure of someone in charge.
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This from a Wired article just recently:

"Apple will be the new firm's first client and, to stabilise things further, LoveFrom will even be based inside the Ive-designed Apple Park. In short, Ive's impeccable taste, design principles and rigour will be on hand for years to come."

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/jony-ive-apple-replacement-jeff-williams

Hm I missed that part...I thought he hardly never left San Francisco to show up at apple campus

 

[macduke]

Don't think he has to save up to start his own company though, he could literally show up at Samsung/IKEA's HQ and they'll sign him in.

I don't think he wants to do things that way though. I was thinking something more the size and scale of Nest, founded by former Apple SVP Tony Fadell.

 

[swm]

Jeff isn’t replacing Jony the designer, but Jony the manager.

i think this is absolutely true. being a manager is totally not about being a designer. on the other hand i'd say Jony wasn't really a manager - maybe he didn't ever wanted to be one, his title of "CDO" was more like a nod to his achievements than a real CxO role.

looking at this photo of Jeff, i can't think anything else but he's the father to Joseph Gordon-Lewitt
MV5BMTQzOTg0NTkzNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTQ4MTcwOQ@@._V1_.jpg

 

[Baymowe335]

Wait, this bloke is replacing Jony? He’s got less charisma than a cardboard cutout version of himself.

I didn’t know “charisma” was a requirement for a designer or even that Jony had any.

 

[EldonChew]

This from a Wired article just recently:

"Apple will be the new firm's first client and, to stabilise things further, LoveFrom will even be based inside the Ive-designed Apple Park. In short, Ive's impeccable taste, design principles and rigour will be on hand for years to come."

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/jony-ive-apple-replacement-jeff-williams

Don't know how I missed this sentence but this is actually reliving to some extend?

 

[CWallace]

Jeff is insanely bright, and is largely responsible for bringing the Apple Watch to market - so I'm somewhat hoping he'll give Jony's former design team a very long leash and just sign the checks they need and clear any political hurdles for them that Jony used to.

I hope he at least keeps the designs grounded in production reality so we don't get things like the MacBook line's butterfly keyboard switches that look nicer than the earlier designs, but do not work as well.

So, design at Apple is officially dead, and the company is being run by operations guys who "see where we are, not where we need to be in years to come."

Innovation, invention, and design are officially dead.

I'll trade some innovation for improved functionality. While I deeply appreciate their look and style, I don't buy Apple products to hang on a wall or put on a shelf as a piece of art. I buy them to perform and they need to be designed to work at least as well as they look, which has not always been the case (iOS 7, the butterfly keyboard, iPads under previous iOS versions, recent versions of MacOS before a couple of service patches, etc.).

 

[bigmacintosh]

I thought that was Tim Williams, the Trivago guy.

 

[Greenmeenie]

Steve Jobs & Ive were true artistic right brain visionaries. Cook & this guy seem like left brain business people. Nothing wrong with that. As long as they give the artists & designers under them freedom to create it should be fine. But still, gonna miss Ive like I miss Steve.

 

[MX20]

In 2019, Tim Cook is going to price you out of Apple product. Jony Ive is going to be mad and Jeff could probably fix it.

 

[nt5672]

From my standpoint of having to use Apple devices instead of looking at them, I think any change from here is a step up.

 

[newyorksole]

Jony was promoted to this position around the time he was starting to wind down his time at Apple. When you’re at that high level you’re mostly involved in meetings and less with design. It’s probably why he kept doing outside design work for charity projects in his spare time. Jony’s role changed to something different and was probably paid a lot more. He could then save up to start his own company.

Jeff isn’t replacing Jony the designer, but Jony the manager. And I thought from what I read, Jony was the one that wanted the Apple Watch to be an expensive fashion item, and Jeff wanted it to be more practical to help people get healthy and be more affordable. It seems like in the end Jeff won, and the Apple Watch has been a runaway success (aside from App Store issues, which they are finally sorting out with native, unified apps and such).

If this is true that Jeff’s influence within Apple has been growing, then that could be why we are beginning to see a return to more practicality. I look at things like iPadOS and being able to access files on drives, iOS design improvements over the flat/thin design aesthetic to reign that in, or even things like the more powerful 2018 Mac Mini or the power and affordability combo found in the 2019 iMac (which I own), and I see promise. And while the Mac Pro is expensive and made for very high end users, the fact that a lot of the parts can be upgraded by the end user is welcome compared to the trashcan. If anything, I think Jeff understands better than Jony that design isn’t just how it looks, but how it works.

So if he can reign in crap like the horrible MacBook Pro keyboards (rumored redesign later this year), then I consider that an absolute win. He still has the design team that Jony lead, and they learned from one of the best. But Jony was missing his balance in Steve, and I feel like he probably got too arrogant and didn’t feel like anyone at Apple should be able to reign him in.

Your post just hyped me up sooo much lmao. I’m excited for the future. I truly believe what you wrote. Obviously we’ll see what ends up happening with all of these changes, but I’m optimistic.

Apple ain’t doomed yet! They have what it takes to keep being successful.

To everyone else: Don’t forget that even when Steve was alive, Apple wasn’t perfect. They made mistakes. And they’re MUCH larger now than when Steve was alive so you truly don’t know what he would/wouldn’t have done.

Have faith.
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This from a Wired article just recently:

"Apple will be the new firm's first client and, to stabilise things further, LoveFrom will even be based inside the Ive-designed Apple Park. In short, Ive's impeccable taste, design principles and rigour will be on hand for years to come."

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/jony-ive-apple-replacement-jeff-williams

Ok now I’m confused Lol. He’s literally going to be working for his own personal design firm from Apple Park? How is that possible?

Can someone shed light on that? Lol.

 

[macduke]

Your post just hyped me up sooo much lmao. I’m excited for the future. I truly believe what you wrote. Obviously we’ll see what ends up happening with all of these changes, but I’m optimistic.

Apple ain’t doomed yet! They have what it takes to keep being successful.

To everyone else: Don’t forget that even when Steve was alive, Apple wasn’t perfect. They made mistakes. And they’re MUCH larger now than when Steve was alive so you truly don’t know what he would/wouldn’t have done.

Have faith.
[doublepost=1562348625][/doublepost]

Ok now I’m confused Lol. He’s literally going to be working for his own personal design firm from Apple Park? How is that possible?

Can someone shed light on that? Lol.

Glad to make you feel better, but I could still be wrong. I've read a lot and listened to some podcasts talking about this, and from everything I've gathered it leads me to believe this is the case. But a good part of that depends on the veracity of the source material.

As for working inside Apple Park, wow. I hadn't read this piece yet. That sounds insane. I mean, when you're Jony you get special treatment but this is just weird. You're either there or you're not. This weird in-between state feels really odd to me. Does Apple have a stake in the company?

 

[cult hero]

Sounds like a smart consensus guy. Team leads need to know how to get the most out of their teams, not necessarily be the guy that comes up with all the ideas. With that said, from a visionary standpoint, it sounds like he saw a better path for the Watch than Ive.

I find it hilarious that with the constant griping about “form over function” and “what is it with Ive’s obsession with thinness!?” that there would be opposition to a pragmatist over a designer. Look at the new Mac Pro. The price is high but my hope is that it is a greater representation of Apple’s trends.

Despite Ive going, I’ve been rather encouraged lately. Maybe it’s staff or maybe it’s just that phone sales have cooled enough that they need to focus on computers again. Whatever the case, I’m really curious to see where they go with the MBP next. Super intrigued with the 16” model.

 

[Swift]

Wait, this bloke is replacing Jony? He’s got less charisma than a cardboard cutout version of himself.

I don't believe that's true of him, or that he is in any way a "replacement for Jony". The design department will report to him, and yes, he has experience as a designer. This website is getting to be full of strange people.

 

[5105973]

Well, whatever...whoever...the most recent WWDC was exciting again and the upcoming iPhones are decent place holders while they get their design and materials ducks in a row for 2020 5G phones which will still, by necessity, be little slabs. But they may end up being prettier little slabs. Or perhaps so fugly they're adorable and everyone wants one. It could go either way.

It looks like the sky isn't falling over at Apple after all. I'm still finding Apple things to save up for.

 

[ipedro]

So, design at Apple is officially dead, and the company is being run by operations guys who "see where we are, not where we need to be in years to come."

Innovation, invention, and design are officially dead.

Jeff Williams lead the Apple Watch project from start to finish. Sit down, you don't know what you're talking about.

 

[CWallace]

Having the company's main office in Apple Park doesn't make much sense based on all the reports of Ive working more out of San Francisco and London as well as his various home offices around the world than Apple Park. Their other clients could very well have concerns about their work being handled in Apple Park and being visible to Apple designers and engineers.

As such, I expect what is actually happening is that Lovefrom will have dedicated office space within Apple Park to facilitate the collaboration between their designers and Apple's. Lovefrom will have their main office somewhere else (my bet is London) where their work for non-Apple clients will be handled.

 

[mikethemartian]

Ok now I’m confused Lol. He’s literally going to be working for his own personal design firm from Apple Park? How is that possible?

Can someone shed light on that? Lol.

Sounds odd to me unless they really meant to say that he will have a satellite office there.

 

[Defthand]

let's reallocate how we think about this and put someone else overseeing a few young designers to give them leeway.'

God forbid one of those young designers conceived of the current Apple TV remote. The kid probably never watched TV in a darkened room.

 

[CMoore515]

Looks like I'm in the minority here, but I actually like him as far as his work with watchOS. Seems like he has his eye on the ball with regard to the software, but that's just my opinion. Willing to give a shot.