Apple’s long-time design boss Jony Ive revealed today that he is leaving the company.
After helping create some of the most iconic consumer products of all time for Apple, Ive says he is going to strike out on his own to create a new creative business called LoveFrom.
“While I will not be an [Apple] employee, I will still be very involved — I hope for many, many years to come,” Ive told The Financial Times in an interview. “This just seems like a natural and gentle time to make this change.”
Apple loses its star designer
Ive is set to transition away from Apple later this year. His independent design company will launch fully in 2020 and Apple will be counted among his primary clients. He’ll also be able to pursue personal projects.
Ive has been viewed as the most important person at Apple ever since Steve Jobs’ death. Ive and his team set the tone for design not just at Apple but for consumer products across the globe. Even though Apple CEO Tim Cook tried to downplay Ive’s departure, this is a huge loss for Apple.
“Jony is a singular figure in the design world and his role in Apple’s revival cannot be overstated, from 1998’s groundbreaking iMac to the iPhone and the unprecedented ambition of Apple Park, where recently he has been putting so much of his energy and care,” Cook said in a statement. “Apple will continue to benefit from Jony’s talents by working directly with him on exclusive projects, and through the ongoing work of the brilliant and passionate design team he has built. After so many years working closely together, I’m happy that our relationship continues to evolve and I look forward to working with Jony long into the future.”
Replacing Jony Ive
Instead of naming a new head of design that reports to Cook, Apple’s two design leaders — Evans Hankey and Alan Dye — will report to COO Jeff Williams.
Even though Apple has a great design team, it will be interesting to see if the company’s design language changes with Ive’s departure.
“After nearly 30 years and countless projects, I am most proud of the lasting work we have done to create a design team, process and culture at Apple that is without peer. Today it is stronger, more vibrant and more talented than at any point in Apple’s history,” said Ive. “The team will certainly thrive under the excellent leadership of Evans, Alan and Jeff, who have been among my closest collaborators. I have the utmost confidence in my designer colleagues at Apple, who remain my closest friends, and I look forward to working with them for many years to come.”
