The first result of that work was the iMac G3. A beautiful, round, curved all in one computer. It was iconic. It defined a generation of machines. Computers stopped being boring devices for work and became fun machines for everyone. Apple made the computer a little bit more human, and it found a place in our hearts as a result.
Every iconic Apple design since then has been spearheaded by one man: Jony Ive. From the iconic iPad to the game changing iPhone, the gorgeous Mac Cube to the trend setting MacBook Pro, Jony Ive has been there through it all.
But now Jony Ive is leaving Apple. Apple had two visionary leaders, Steve Jobs and Jony Ive. They brought Apple back from the brink of extinction in the late 90’s to make it one of the most important (if not the most important) tech companies in the world. Will the company be the same without them?
In This Article:
Why’s Jony Leaving?
The WSJ report is joined by one from Bloomberg, making the same claims about Apple’s design team as a whole. The reporting claims Apple designers are frustrated, and have been since the launch of the Apple Watch in 2015. As it stands, Jony Ive apparently believed the Apple Watch should be more of a fashion statement than a utilitarian device. This is likely why we have so many watch bands from Apple, and so many other (often better) third party and handmade ones. However, it’s still positioned as a device that finds a balance between appearance and functionality.
These reports paint a bleak picture at Apple. One where design and products are taking a backseat to services and operations. It tells of frustrated designers. Looking at the slow progression of Apple designs over the past few years, and it’s not hard to see why.
Tim Cook has, in some of the harshest language he’s ever used in a press release, denied these allegations.
Tim’s Response
“The story is absurd. A lot of the reporting, and certainly the conclusions just don’t match with reality. At a base level, it shows a lack of understanding about how the design team works and how Apple works. It distorts relationships, decisions and events to the point that we just don’t recognize the company it claims to describe”
“The design team is phenomenally talented. As Jony has said, they’re stronger than ever, and I have complete confidence that they will thrive under Jeff, Evans and Alan’s leadership. We know the truth and we know the incredible things they’re capable of doing. The projects they’re working on will blow you away.”
– Tim Cook’s emailed response to Dylan Byers, Senior Media Reporter at NBC/MSNBC News
Despite Tim’s harsh response, WSJ is standing by their reporting. They say Apple’s designers are in a rut, frustrated with Apple’s leadership. Would Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, really be the person they vent those frustrations to? Probably not. So how would he know how they feel? Of course, Tim could have taken issue with the idea that he doesn’t care about Apple’s designs, something he apparently feels strongly about.
A Wall Street Journal spokesperson tells me the paper stands by the report, which is by @trippmickle & can be read here: https://t.co/mvX8Lu6tn9
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) July 1, 2019
Day to Day Tedium?
The G4 Cube was form of function, but it was beautiful.
Perhaps there is some truth to the WSJ article. A while back, I took on a role being the official unofficial manager of an engineering team. I reviewed their code, arranged the tickets they’d work on, and planned out the entire infrastructure for the project. As a result, I didn’t get to write code as much, dedicating only about half my time each sprint to coding. I loved it, I loved being the architect of an entire project and managing the team, but I missed coding.
Now I work as an individual contributor again, writing more code. I wouldn’t mind managing again some day, but I like coding. I like making things and I was separated from that as a manager.
Perhaps the size of Apple just wasn’t the kind of company where Jony Ive could both manage teams of designers as well as work on designs himself. That balance between manager and individual contributor is something you only see at smaller companies and startups. Perhaps that’s why Jony went off to form his own company, to put himself back in the mix, without relinquishing oversight. As a creative type who likes to get her hands dirty, it sounds like the perfect role. Frankly, I’m jealous, but Jony certainly earned it.
So… Why?
Only Jony knows. My guess? He wanted the best of management and engineering full-scale designs with the day-to-day work of conceptualization. That kind of mixture can only come when you’re the boss of a small company. That’s exactly what Jony has now. And, clearly, he’s holding no ill will. He’ll still work with Apple on future designs.
Where’s He Going?
“While I will not be an [Apple] employee, I will still be very involved — I hope for many, many years to come. This just seems like a natural and gentle time to make this change.”
– Sir Jony Ive speaking to The Financial Times
Jony Ive’s new company will be called LoveFrom. Apple will contract the company for designs, as well as continue to work with their own internal design team.
LoveFrom is named after a conversation Jony had with his friend Steve Jobs.
“There was an employee meeting a number of years ago and Steve [Jobs] was talking . . . He [said] that one of the fundamental motivations was that when you make something with love and with care, even though you probably will never meet . . . the people that you’re making it for, and you’ll never shake their hand, by making something with care, you are expressing your gratitude to humanity, to the species.”
“I so identified with that motivation and was moved by his description. So my new company is called ‘LoveFrom’. It succinctly speaks to why I do what I do.”
– Sir Jony Ive on the naming of LoveFrom
LoveFrom will start up in 2020, after Jony finalizes his leave from Apple. After that, it won’t just operate as a subsidiary of Apple. This will be a completely separate company. Many other companies will be eager to hire the genius that made Apple what it is today. LoveFrom will likely become one of the most popular design firms in the world the moment it opens.
Can Apple Survive without Ive?
Despite the years between them, Apple’s phones all still look the same
Apple’s designs have been quite boring lately. The iPhone XS is nothing more than a logical step up from the iPhone 6, a phone that’s over 4 years old. All other design considerations have been made because they had to. The phone is taller because that’s the best way to increase screen real estate without making the phone awkward. The camera on the back is a pill shape because it has two lenses. The notch is for Face ID. All the designs that separate the iPhone XS from the iPhone 6 are lazy, done exclusively for the need, rather than taste, feel, touch, or any artistic design qualities.
But these design decisions (or lack thereof) were done under Jony. New blood could mean dramatically new designs. Anyone who obsesses over Apple news has seen many beautiful concept renders of iPhone designs over the years. There are many designers in the world, and they’re all excited to get started making the next great thing.
Jony wasn’t the only designer at Apple. His team remains. Just as Apple was able to continue after Steve Jobs’ death, without losing its personality, so too can it continue without Sir Jony Ive. These were visionary men who carved their DNA into Apple. Simplicity, comfort, the human aspect of design. Apple will still be known for these qualities, no matter who takes over.
Besides, Jony will still work with Apple. So, in the end, little will change.Hopefully, though, Jony is a little happier now, and who wouldn’t be happy for him?
Sources:
- Samuel Axon, Ars Technica
- Tim Bradshaw, The Financial Times
- Mark Gurman, Bloomberg
- Louise Matsakis, Wired
- Chance Miller, 9to5Mac
- Thomas Ricker, The Verge
- Mark Sullivan, Fast Company
- Chris Welch, The Verge