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Tag: Jony Ive

  • Evans Hankey, Apple’s Head of Design, Is Leaving

    Evans Hankey, Apple’s Head of Design, Is Leaving

    Apple’s Evans Hankey, its head of industrial design, is leaving in another blow to the company’s vaunted design team.

    Hankey took over the role following the departure of Jony Ive, the designer behind some of Apple’s most iconic products. Ive and Steve Jobs were often credited with having a close collaborative relationship, one that formed the basis of Apple’s revival.

    After a mere three years as head of design, Hankey is also resigning, according to Bloomberg. There is no indication where Hankey may go, but Apple gave a statement to the outlet expressing confidence in its ability to move forward:

    “Apple’s design team brings together expert creatives from around the world and across many disciplines to imagine products that are undeniably Apple,” a spokesman said. “The senior design team has strong leaders with decades of experience. Evans plans to stay on as we work through the transition, and we’d like to thank her for her leadership and contributions.”

    Hankey has said she will remain at Apple for six months, giving her a chance to continue working on the various products she oversees.

  • All Good Things: Jony Ive Officially Leaves Apple, Closing Out An Era

    All Good Things: Jony Ive Officially Leaves Apple, Closing Out An Era

    He made a name for himself as THE Apple design guru, bringing to life such iconic designs as the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad yet, as with all good things, Jony Ive’s time at Apple has drawn to a close.

    Ive had been with Apple since 1992 and began leading the design team in 1996. Upon Steve Jobs’ return to the company in 1997, the two began what would be one of the most creative partnerships in tech history.

    Jobs described the nature of their relationship to his biographer, Walter Isaacson:

    “If I had a spiritual partner at Apple, it’s Jony. Jony and I think up most of the products together and then pull others in and say, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’ He gets the picture as well as the most infinitesimal details about each product. And he understands that Apple is a product company. He’s not just a designer. That’s why he works directly for me. He has more operational power than anyone else at Apple except me.”

    After Jobs died in 2011, Ive continued to be the dominant force behind Apple’s designs for several years. In June 2019, however, it was announced that Ive would be leaving the company to start his own design firm, LoveForm. The firm would continue to work with Apple, with Ive’s former employer being his new company’s primary client.

    In an indication that his departure is now complete, Ive has been removed from Apple’s leadership page, marking an end to an incredible era at Apple. Here’s to hoping the company continues to build on Ive’s brilliance long after he’s gone.

  • Apple Stores Revamp: Are They Getting Even Swankier?

    One could say that Apple, and thus its many retail stores, already cater to the wealthy – or at least those with a bit of disposable income. But could Apple make its stores feel even more exclusive – especially ahead of the big Apple Watch launch?

    The New Yorker ran a lengthy profile on Apple design guru Jony Ive, and in it revealed Apple’s plans to revamp its many Apple retail Stores.

    “Ive has begun to work with Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice-president of retail, on a redesign – as yet unannounced – of the Apple Stores. These new spaces will surely become a more natural setting for vitrines filled with gold (and perhaps less welcoming, at least in some corners, to tourists and truants),” says the New Yorker.

    As you’re probably aware, Apple is about to start selling its smartwatch line – one of which is made of 18K gold and could cost multiple thousands.

    More from the New Yorker:

    Apple had not, overnight, become an élite-oriented company – and it would sell seventy-five million iPhones in the final quarter of 2014, many of them in China – but I wondered how rational, and pure of purpose, one can make the design of a V.I.P. area. Ive later told me that he had overheard someone saying, “I’m not going to buy a watch if I can’t stand on carpet.”

    But would Apple risk alienating some of its customer base if it went super fancy in its retail locations? Or would it only bolster that feeling many Apple customers get when shopping at an Apple Store – this is cool.

    As the International Business Times points out, Apple has already begun modifying its Apple Stores in smaller ways – taking down Genius Bar signs and changing up the employee attire. Apple has not commented on the scope or exact timing for the Apple Store revamp.

    Image via Ryan McKnight, Flickr Creative Commons

  • iPhone 5C: Here’s Apple’s Jony Ive And Craig Federighi Explaining Why It’s So Great (And So Plastic)

    How many times have you heard the words “unapologetically plastic” in the past 24 hours? Well, get ready to hear it one more time.

    Apple has released a five-minute video looking at the new, more inexpensive iPhone model, which comes in a variety of colors (hence the “For the colorful” tagline).

    Now, watch the parody version.

    The device appears to be aimed at markets in the developing world, but while it’s certainly less expensive than other models, some don’t think it’s cheap enough, and based on Apple’s stock, investors appear to agree.

    More Apple coverage here.

    Image: Apple (YouTube)

  • iOS 7 Is Getting A Complete Redesign, Will Be Shown At WWDC [Rumor]

    What’s black, white and flat all over? iOS 7 if some reports are to be believed.

    Sources close to Apple told 9to5Mac that the next iteration of Apple’s iOS software will be getting a complete redesign. That redesign will predominantly sport black and white colors while toning down on the textured look that iOS has been known for since its inception in 2007.

    Apple Senior Vice President of Industrial Design Jonathan Ive (aka the guy who designed the iPhone hardware) is now in charge of the iOS7 overhaul. He is expected to bring the simplistic design of his hardware to iOS 7. He reportedly feels that Apple’s iOS has become complicated in recent years with different visual designs for different apps. His design would unite all of Apple’s software under a common aesthetic principle while retaining the simplicity of use iOS fans have come to expect.

    Ive’s new black and white approach to UI design will find its way into pretty much every facet of the next iteration of iOS. Some examples include a lock screen that’s no longer transparent, notifications that ditch the current leather look in favor of a white text on black background, and the home screen will be removing gradient textures from backgrounds and app icons.

    Speaking of apps, all of Apple’s apps have reportedly been redesigned with the new black and white look in mind. One example is the Notes app, which currently features a yellow notepad look. The new design will likely feature a simplistic white look with black text.

    Outside of design, the new mobile OS will also reportedly include integration with Flickr and Vimeo.

    We’re likely to see if the above rumors are true at Apple’s WWDC keynote on June 10. The developer-focused event will likely not feature a lot of new hardware (sorry iPhone fans), but we’ll probably get our first look at iOS 7 and the next version of Mac OS X.