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'Slide to Unlock' Engineer Greg Christie to Depart Apple After Fallout with Jony Ive [Updated]
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Ive is the senior manager. Nothing happens without his go ahead. That absolutely, positively, unquestionably makes him responsible. It doesn't matter who thinks up the ideas or implements them, the person in charge receives the laurels or the blame. Everything related to design is on Ive's shoulders. That's a fact.
Now my assumption? I assume that because iOS used to be good when Christie was in charge, then became less good when Ive took the reigns, plus a rather suspicious departure of Christie at the same time, Ive is responsible and wields his power to force his designs upon everyone else. Don't like it, get the boot. Interviews with him all suggest he has a superiority complex; he is the least humble person I can think of behind the Supreme Ruler of Korea. I might not be drawing the right conclusion from these events, but it sure fits the best.
And now you get why Forstall was fired (divergences between two pretty arrogant people with conflicting views).
Funny how the buck stops wherever it is convenient for you to make your point.
Christie's team didn't even report directly to Ive until now.Ive was absolutely responsible for the big picture design of iOS 7, but software/UI designers such as Christie were responsible for the implementation.
Huh. I always thought Jony Ive was a pretty reasonable guy, from all accounts I've read. Wonder if Christie got egotistic like Forstall did...
For all we know he was just pissed that he got passed over for promotion or was just bored and needed a change. All this talk of fights and hating iOS7 is just supposition because no one knows for sure except the people involved and there hasn't been any statement from them as far as I know. Maybe Christie was in the skeuomorphic camp and just didn't want to work on a flat design. That is probably the most plausible argument as we know there were two factions amongst the designers.
What we know for sure is iOS was stagnating and needed a radical change and that is what iOS7 is. Not to everyone's taste and a bit rough round the edges but a radical change none the less. Ive came in towards the end of iOS7 development so to blame him alone for the problems is not realistic. I will reserve judgement until iOS8, that will have been fully under Ive's control from the start so its going to be totally on his head. I hope it will be good but at the moment its impossible to tell either way.
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How bad a manager must you be to force out a successful designer within your company. If Ive were the best designer he wouldn't have been made the manager. THIS IS A LOSS TO APPLE. Ive should be a people's person, able to unite different visions. If he can't he should go back to designing. Christie has been an asset for a long time now. Jobs dead, and soon after he leaves. What does this tell us? Let's not forget apple once went badly without Jobs around. Their fiddling can go wrong, very wrong. Forcing out Christie is a mistake.
What does that tell us? Well, reputable sources seem to be saying that he wanted to retire and take advantage of the money he made. The "forcing out" part seems to be made up.
Type in an address or phone number = yellow on white.
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Obviously, you weren't there in the 90's. All we had was flat graphics. Then things started developing, and we got 3D. Until iOS 7 .
Yeah, I actually like that they did that.
Honestly, I hate the appearance of iOS7, but I think the functionality got better overall. But I prefer shiny/3d look to the flat. And I hate the brighter colors. And I really hate how it has decided my folders should be a grey color cause they stand out amongst my background and it looks tacky. I would have preferred they stay a neutral black rather than trying to match the colors of my background automatically (it doesn't work, and it picked a color that just makes itself stand out and make my phone look ugly).
Oh, and I really hate how the phone app looks now. And I fully blame Ive for that because he has stated he likes old timey feel/simplicity and that's exactly what it makes me feel like, that I'm using some 50's phone (he did a good job of evoking that feeling of a dial phone, but problem is I hate that!!! I like feeling like I'm using something modern and sharp, and I hate 50's style and old dial phones).
Gorgeous? Nice paint job, but it still looks like a trash can. How creative is that, really? Actually, it kind of reminds me of those old "smoke remover" trays that suck the air out of a cigar while it's not being smoked so it doesn't stink up the whole room, only taller. The point is that a "Pro" product should be more about function and utility than looks. A nice piano black lacquer rack module would be preferable to most pros, I think. Better yet, a nice lacquer piano black tower with lots of expansion room and PCI slots would be better yet. This thing would be more useful as a Mac Mini with a high-end graphics card than a Mac Pro, IMO.
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Well that's your opinion. Mine is different, how's your Mac Mini? Because the same guy signed off on that, I would also ask have you seen a Mac Pro in person? Because if you have not, then go and see one and then state it looks like a cheap trash can or an ash tray???????
And why should a powerful workstation not be small and nicely designed, what are you going to put in those PCI slots?
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Dear UX/UI designers,
Apple have chartered 100 Boeing 757 airliners in a staggered-flight manner, over the course of three months, in order to transport you to Cupertino, where you will be interviewed for the various UI/UX design team positions appropriate to and pertaining to the previous experience you have been deemed to have held, based on your curriculum vitae.
Should you wish to partake in this program, please visit your local Apple store, taking your CV and previous UX/UI design project portfolio(s), and enroll for this exciting, one-off opportunity. Selected winners from the final 100 candidates will be selected at random, and notified in a "lottery" manner.
(Please note that Apple campus/accomodation DNS servers disallow access to any macrumors* domains)
Apple have chartered 100 Boeing 757 airliners in a staggered-flight manner, over the course of three months, in order to transport you to Cupertino, where you will be interviewed for the various UI/UX design team positions appropriate to and pertaining to the previous experience you have been deemed to have held, based on your curriculum vitae.
Should you wish to partake in this program, please visit your local Apple store, taking your CV and previous UX/UI design project portfolio(s), and enroll for this exciting, one-off opportunity. Selected winners from the final 100 candidates will be selected at random, and notified in a "lottery" manner.
(Please note that Apple campus/accomodation DNS servers disallow access to any macrumors* domains)
So... if a pro product is more about function than looks, why are you passing judgment on its' looks, if you've literally just finished stating that they are less important?
So it doesn't meet the world's idea of "standard" design - did Apple *ever* say that they want to be like everyone else, and make dull little boxes? Okay - the previous Mac Pro was more akin to the PC tower form factor, but still managed to look 1,000 times sleeker than any PC out there.
I think maybe you're jealous that you don't have one or have a need for one, or you'd suddenly do an about turn and change opinion... or... maybe you just want to "dislike" it for the sake of it, because it uses less critical thinking power and intelligence to say that "it looks like an ashtray".
If the current form isn't what you like, fire up Photoshop and show us what you would like it to look like?
Come on dude - at least think up a new way to slate it, if you're going to bother
Understood, but the CEO can mediate, defuse, etc. That's my point. Otherwise talent leaves over office politics & personality, not the sign of of house in order. If Tim learned about this in a memo then that makes Cook look even weaker than what I was suggesting.
Defuse? Diffuse.
Ok, I'll bite - don't get the joke. What am I supposed to be laughing at?
Did you mean "diffuse" tension, or DE-fuse, as in de-fusing a bomb? :/
I thought you meant diffuse... no offence
Did you mean "diffuse" tension, or DE-fuse, as in de-fusing a bomb? :/
I thought you meant diffuse... no offence
No, I meant what I wrote, as in defuse a volatile situation between two employees.
So... if a pro product is more about function than looks, why are you passing judgment on its' looks, if you've literally just finished stating that they are less important?
So it doesn't meet the world's idea of "standard" design - did Apple *ever* say that they want to be like everyone else, and make dull little boxes? Okay - the previous Mac Pro was more akin to the PC tower form factor, but still managed to look 1,000 times sleeker than any PC out there.
I think maybe you're jealous that you don't have one or have a need for one, or you'd suddenly do an about turn and change opinion... or... maybe you just want to "dislike" it for the sake of it, because it uses less critical thinking power and intelligence to say that "it looks like an ashtray".
If the current form isn't what you like, fire up Photoshop and show us what you would like it to look like?
Come on dude - at least think up a new way to slate it, if you're going to bother
Obviously, you are bothered by people having a different opinion than yours. Too bad. Get used to it. The world doesn't revolve around you.
Dull little boxes? You prefer shiny on the outside and dull on the inside because the GPU is so underpowered on most Macs that they can't run interesting software like the latest games? Sacrificing power for exterior looks (and then still charging 3x the price of a PC) is ridiculous. I don't care WTF a Mac looks like on the outside. I bought it for the operating system and lack of malware.
Some of us are simply giving our take and displeasure at Apple's consistent and disturbing move towards "fashion" and away from power and professional computing. Yes, Jobs was obsessed with thin, but I doubt the Crayola Crayon look would have passed mustard under his watch. Skeuomorphism may have been a bit overdone, but many of us still prefer it over the Johnny 5 look. The Macbook Air was supposed to be light and thin. Now they're ALL light and thin so what's the point in the Macbook Air now? It's pointless for the most part, being only a hair lighter. They sacrificed the Pro models by removing optical drives and professional ports just so make them thinner. I take issue with the word "Pro" being used in consumer models. I take issue with the iPurse and the iLeg Warmer and iUnderwear. WTF happened to computers? Bring Woz back. That guy knows technology, not fashion parades.
Erm... gamers are not the target customers for the Mac Pro. You imply the Mac Pro isn't powerful? Riiiiiight...
Here's my impression of what I think you'd prefer; feel free to do a cylindrical wrap-around mockup.
Gosh, you're quite angry about something so trivial as a computer - have a cup of tea then take a walk to calm down.
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Ive is a nightmare. Classic egotistical ass. Cares more about his own power than about the success of Apple.
I blame Cook for this too. Things shouldn't have gotten anywhere near to the point that Ive should be able to be alienating people out of the company.
The "designed by apple", gold EarPods, partnerships with other designer assclowns for personal vanity and celebrity, charity auctions instead of just donating money, etc. The political correctness and image self-consciousness that brought all this crap about in the first place. Jobs wouldn't have put up with all this garbage and for good reason.
Look at how Pokemon/bubblegum half of Apple products are now. It's almost comical how downhill it's all gone since Jobs passed. All the crap that Apple makes now looks exactly like the kind of stuff Ive used to push and Jobs would shut down. Ultimately, it's Tim Cook's fault. Mr. Cook, get your head out of your ass. Quit all the P.C. distractions. It may be too late already. At least try. Get a grip on your company.
I blame Cook for this too. Things shouldn't have gotten anywhere near to the point that Ive should be able to be alienating people out of the company.
The "designed by apple", gold EarPods, partnerships with other designer assclowns for personal vanity and celebrity, charity auctions instead of just donating money, etc. The political correctness and image self-consciousness that brought all this crap about in the first place. Jobs wouldn't have put up with all this garbage and for good reason.
Look at how Pokemon/bubblegum half of Apple products are now. It's almost comical how downhill it's all gone since Jobs passed. All the crap that Apple makes now looks exactly like the kind of stuff Ive used to push and Jobs would shut down. Ultimately, it's Tim Cook's fault. Mr. Cook, get your head out of your ass. Quit all the P.C. distractions. It may be too late already. At least try. Get a grip on your company.
VERY well put. And yes, I should have used a different phrase than "design aesthetic" because I agree 100% with what you were saying about the physics engine, transparency, and parallax, etc.
I think what many of us are reacting so strongly to is what we perceive to be this very trendy attitude of "the more detail you have, the more 'useless' and 'wasteful' design your design is" without any context; in other words, you could certainly argue that was the case for the reel-to-reel thing in the old Podcasts app, but on the other side, in the iOS 6 Maps app, for instance, the skeuomorphic street sign directions and other details made the app much easier for me to read at a glance (for me, at least) the hierarchy of information was so much more clear, and when you're driving, those extra milliseconds NOT spent looking at a screen trying to read the next direction are very important, haha).
Anyway, I think I'm preaching to the choir at this point, and I know it's tough to come up with a consistent design language that would remove all the unnecessary skeuomorphism we all hated (Game Center, Calendar) while leaving the stuff that I personally found helpful (Maps, or the beautiful soft yellow background in the old Notes app *once you change the default font away from Comic Sans, of course, haha), but I can't help feel like Apple used a chainsaw where a chisel (ok, probably a pretty large chisel) was required. I almost feel like their philosophy for some of the iOS 7 UI was "Make it so simplified that you can't differentiate anything at all, and then just dial it back one," haha.
Thankfully, some of the apps that have come out since the release of iOS 7 have restored a bit of my hope that they will tone down the abrasive whiteness of everything, at least (the Trailers app is gorgeous, as well as the Remote app (especially the "Now Playing" screen), which I think I mentioned).
Just for the heck of it (and because I think the interface on the Remote app's "Now Playing" screen is so beautiful), here are some "Now Playing" comparisons (as well as that beautiful old Maps screen I loved so much, haha.)
