Apple’s Design Chief is Leaving. Here’s Why It’s Fabulously Good News
Jony Ive is the man who essentially kicked off the smartphone revolution, creating a wealth of opportunities for developers and business people alike.| Credit: AFP
Jony Ive is reportedly leaving Apple , and this is a big deal for everyone.
Smartphone Revolutionary Founds His Own Firm
We’re talking about the man who essentially kicked off the smartphone revolution, creating a wealth of opportunities for developers and businesspeople alike.
He also invented that slick metal MacBook so many are fond of – the “unibody” aluminum frame is to his credit, on top of everything else.
Apple hasn’t been the same since Steve Jobs died.
Ives joined the company long ago when Jobs first returned in 1992.
He would go on to become an integral part of the design team that put out the first iMacs, the ones that had colors.
He oversaw the entire evolution of the Apple product line – under the direction of Steve Jobs.
When Jobs eventually died, it didn’t take Ive long to leave the company. Then he came back in 2017 , however, only to be going again now.
For its part, Apple is doing fine. It’s not doing as well as it once was, but it still dominates the smartphone market.
It seems no one but Microsoft will ever dominate the desktop market. The desktop market has also become increasingly less relevant.
In the areas where it is essential, such as workplaces and education, Apple is doing better than ever before. The increased consumer market doesn’t hurt.
Does Apple Need Jony Ive?
In short, Ive leaves at a good time for Apple, a time when it needs senior leadership to find a growth strategy that will carry the giant through.
Peak smartphone is arguably upon us , with Android dominating certain parts of the world.
Apple and other tech companies have to find ways to expand their businesses, a challenge that is harder for Apple given the cost of its products.
Ive would undoubtedly be a valued voice for Cupertino moving forward, but he’s done with Apple.
Instead, Ive is founding his own company, at last.
Unable to ascend the ranks at Apple any further, he’s got to do something of his own now.
The vision that Ive and Steve Jobs pursued transformed the way people view computers and technology. The introduction of the iPod and later the iPhone changed the music and telecom industries forever.
AT&T arguably owes a great deal of its success this century to Apple, which later opened up the iPhone to other carriers.
Later, the revolutionary design of the MacBook echoed throughout the computer industry. You can see its impact in virtually every other company’s offerings at this point, from Lenovo to Huawei.
Ive played a part in all of this.
Now he’s leaving. What will it mean for the mega-corporation that’s built up around the designer? According to The Wall Street Journal, Ive had trouble thriving under the “operations-focused” leadership of Tim Cook, who took over the company after the death of Steve Jobs.
Ive came into the company during the Jobs era, which was when things were done on the “think different” model.
Ive may be leaving, but the company will succeed without him. The question is whether it will continue to innovate at the same level and also whether Ive will be the last of its core talent to depart.
