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Jony Ive Has Left Apple 84

Famed designer Jony Ive has disappeared from Apple's Leadership page, signaling an end to his time in Cupertino. Ive joined Apple in 1992 and led the design team from 1996. From a report: Jony Ive's last day at Apple was always a bit of a mystery. The June press release originally announcing his departure only said that it would occur "later this year." Some would say Ive checked out of Apple product design a long time ago after becoming distracted by the design and construction of the company's new spaceship headquarters. Apple will be a client of Ive's new design company, LoveFrom, which the designer started in collaboration with his long-time friend and collaborator Marc Newson.
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Jony Ive Has Left Apple

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  • Function over Form (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Cmdln Daco ( 1183119 ) on Thursday November 28, 2019 @05:11PM (#59467740)

    Maybe Apple will now catch a clue.

    • Maybe Apple will now catch a clue.

      ... and start making 2 inch thick Dell style plastic laptops.

      • They could enter that market segment and probably make a killing. Windows 10 could drive a lot of people without a ton of money to Apple.

        And I have a Dell laptop that was under $300 that is less than an inch thick.

        • by saloomy ( 2817221 ) on Thursday November 28, 2019 @07:43PM (#59468004)
          Not having met any of the individuals at Apple in charge, my outsiders perspective is that Jony Ive is a fantastic world class top 1,000 designers. It shows. When there's something that is a meant to be a piece of art or striking to the eyes, he's there with that design. When you had Scott Forstall and Jony Ive arguing over ideas and output, things worked well, because good ideas won. Steve Jobs seemed to manage and foster that meritocratic environment.

          When Tim Cook took over, the first flop (Apple Maps 2016) rendered Scott Forstall out; and everything under Jony Ive, design wise. This let the designer run the show, with no engineer. Products like the PowerBook, the IMac circa 2011, and the cheese grater Mac Pro were conceived in the chaos of arguing tiny decision after tiny decision. Did Scott and Jony argue and not like each other? Probably. I read that they couldn't be in the same conversation without Jobs mediating. But that's what brought out the very best in apple Products. Jony took over and it was a runaway train to thin-ness.

          I'm not sure things will change now, even with Jony gone. The next VP of products will have his way, and no one will challenge him. Tim Cook will see to it. No one fights anymore, everyone is a winner, except, there's nothing spectacular left to win.
          • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

            Was he really though? Most of his designs look suspiciously like he copied them out of a Braun product catalogue and some of his choices, like the butterfly keyboard, pissed off a lot of people and must have cost Apple many many millions to fix.

        • Yeah...as opposed to the pittance that Apple
          Is already making?

          • Growth for Apple will involve them not just continuing to skim the highest paying 10% of the market. Yes, they make a lot of money from that demographic, but grown there is over.

            • Growth for Apple will involve them not just continuing to skim the highest paying 10% of the market. Yes, they make a lot of money from that demographic, but grown there is over.

              Then again, they don't have to compete with people who's main criteria is rock bottom price.

              Do you feel the same way about expensive Windows computers? I'm posting on a 3000 + dollar Dell laptop right now. My brand new 27 inch iMac cost a bit over 1600 dollars (full disclosure - I got it at a very good price) It's like when these arguments start, all of the high priced Windows machines get hidden so that we can compare Mac Pros to Insignia netbooks.

              • You can pick your expensive Windows computer solely on the basis of it's quality. There isn't a small ghetto of hardware that will run Windows.

            • Yeah..and Ferrari should start making mass-market morning commuter cars too.

              • How would Ferrari come into the discussion? Apple makes Buick grade hardware in a Chevy market.

                • You clearly don't understand car brands.

                  Apple actually creates hardware, and what they don't create, the implement properly. They were first to market with USB-A, SCSI, the 3.5" floppy disk, firewire, etc...

                  Apple would be closer to the Mercedes Bens of the car world. First with GPS, three point seat belts, radar guided cruise control, etc..

                  Like Mercedes, Apple doesn't invent many of the technologies they popularize, but they sure as hell integrate them into the software and hardware they create t
        • and hell even if it's only 50% of the computer of an entry level mac book it's still probably 50% of the computer for 1/6th the price. But it probably has more ports than the mac ;)

          I think a lot of Apple users are stuck in the early oughts. Apple: slick aluminum ~1/2" machine, PCs plastic 2" think 7lb monstrosities. Other than removing the ports and getting a couple mm thinner imo macbook's design hasn't improved in about 12 yrs, but PCs have caught up a lot to the point where some models are comparable or

          • Other than removing the ports and getting a couple mm thinner imo macbook's design hasn't improved in about 12 yrs

            You count those as improvements? FWIW I don't give a shit how thick my gadgets are, within reason. All laptops/tablets/phones have been thin enough for many years now.

            • forgot the quotes "improvements" ;)

            • Other than removing the ports and getting a couple mm thinner imo macbook's design hasn't improved in about 12 yrs

              You count those as improvements? FWIW I don't give a shit how thick my gadgets are, within reason. All laptops/tablets/phones have been thin enough for many years now.

              We surely do get wrapped around the axle with thin, don't we, everyone?

              My Dell and my Envy are plenty thin enough. And my new iMac is nice and thin and pretty and solid - and runs much cooler than the 2011 version it replaced. I do have to say I just setup up a MacBook for a friend, and yeah, it's pretty thin as well. Main point is she's happy with it as can be, and it's a little jewel. She wanted a rose gold, which at first I thought was odd, but liked in the end.

              It's all good. And we've probably rea

        • They could enter that market segment and probably make a killing. Windows 10 could drive a lot of people without a ton of money to Apple.

          And I have a Dell laptop that was under $300 that is less than an inch thick.

          Sure, I have an HP Envy and a Dell Workstation Laptop that are also nice and thin. My iMac is as well But I think the major thrust of his comment was missed for the thinness part. By the way, the most expensive by far was the Dell Workstation laptop.

          There is a market out there for attractive and well built computers. I just bought a nice new iMac 27 inch computer to replace my 2011 iMac. Why? Because I could, and I like more than just cheap. Nice form factor, metal case, and I can use my preferred OS,whic

      • Just a 1" thick unit like Lenovo, Dell, or HP make. And learn to use more than just two type C connectors (and the inevitable dongle/adapter hell forced on people as the result).
        • Just a 1" thick unit like Lenovo, Dell, or HP make. And learn to use more than just two type C connectors (and the inevitable dongle/adapter hell forced on people as the result).

          My MBP is about 10mm thick and has four USB-C connectors for me this form factor is a plus. As for a 25mm thick Lenovo, Dell, or HP style concrete pavement slab style laptops, I think Lenovo, Dell, and HP have that market covered. Complaining about Apple not making laptops like that is a bit like complaining Porsche does not make heavy duty pickup trucks. If you want a heavy duty pickup truck go to a Ford dealer.

          • As for a 25mm thick Lenovo, Dell, or HP style concrete pavement slab style laptops, I think Lenovo, Dell, and HP have that market covered. Complaining about Apple not making laptops like that is a bit like complaining Porsche does not make heavy duty pickup trucks. If you want a heavy duty pickup truck go to a Ford dealer.

            But sometimes, what you want is not to deal with the highly polluting and particle emmitting Diesel engines that those pickup trucks automatically have (you don't want to deal with the Microsoft Windows 10 what-the-fuckery that typically comes preinstalled on the concrete-slab form factor).

            One of the option would be to do an engine swap but that's cumbersome and money-expensive and requires finding a garage willing to do the complex procedure (swaping OSes for Linux is non-trivial for people outside the /.

          • Just a 1" thick unit like Lenovo, Dell, or HP make. And learn to use more than just two type C connectors (and the inevitable dongle/adapter hell forced on people as the result).

            My MBP is about 10mm thick and has four USB-C connectors for me this form factor is a plus. As for a 25mm thick Lenovo, Dell, or HP style concrete pavement slab style laptops, I think Lenovo, Dell, and HP have that market covered. Complaining about Apple not making laptops like that is a bit like complaining Porsche does not make heavy duty pickup trucks. If you want a heavy duty pickup truck go to a Ford dealer.

            To be certain my Dell Workstation lap has two Dongles on it - three if you count the Power Supply. This is only an issue if you only count the Apple as a problem, and ignore the others.

          • by tsa ( 15680 )

            It's bad enough that Porsche makes F***ing SUVs...

        • Just a 1" thick unit like Lenovo, Dell, or HP make. And learn to use more than just two type C connectors (and the inevitable dongle/adapter hell forced on people as the result).

          My Dell workstation laptop has a USB to C dongle, and a C to USB, Ethernet, HDMI and VGA (combined) dongle.

          I'm not quite certain of the Apple hell you talk about, but it's really zero problem on the Dell. So it's only a talking point against Apple if you ignore that other computers have the same thing going on.

          After all, the power supply for a laptop is exactly a dongle as well.

          • My Lenovo has four type A USB (3.0), DisplayPort, HDMI, 2 Thunderbolt, RJ45/Ethernet, ExpressCard, and a miniSD card. No adapters ever needed here...
            • My Lenovo has four type A USB (3.0), DisplayPort, HDMI, 2 Thunderbolt, RJ45/Ethernet, ExpressCard, and a miniSD card. No adapters ever needed here...

              That's really nice, but your situaltion is becoming old school. If plugging in "dongles" like power supplies is your versiobn of hell - you 're still there bacause those awesome connections on your lenovo still need something plugged into them. for the thing that has to be plugged in to work.

              First world problem though - I always thought you were a conservative no nonsense guy who does what he has to to get the job done. Appears you might be a little sensitive and easily discouraged, by heving to plug thin

              • My power supply "dongle" is used mainly as I leave the office - I'm good to run pretty much all day on the battery. And apparently you've never used a computer for test equipment, connecting to projectors, etc. where you need to carry a variety of adapters, etc. And I do like to have what gets the job done. With a laptop with a variety of ports, I don't have to make sure I have the adapters needed to connect to a variety of test equipment, displays, and other peripherals. Just the laptop.
                • My power supply "dongle" is used mainly as I leave the office - I'm good to run pretty much all day on the battery. And apparently you've never used a computer for test equipment, connecting to projectors, etc. where you need to carry a variety of adapters, etc. And I do like to have what gets the job done.

                  I use them all the time, to the point where I don't understand where people like you think that it is "Hell" because Apple has a dongle.

                  Actually I do - you hate Apple, and that hate requires you to find fault in things they have that are like other computers. I use attachments everyu day, in mt work, and in my hobbies like Amateur Radio. I have entire parts boxes full of adapters, all fitting the pejorative "dongle".

                  I just do it, fortunately I don't find it stressful like you do,

                  • No, I prefer to NOT need to carry a bunch of $10-$20 adapters all the time to be able to be functional. I'd rather not have to remember yet-another-thing to pack and bring. I think it's wasteful and disruptive. After all, you can make a tiny laptop with a full complement of connectors, and smaller than a Macbook [theverge.com]. It's a lazy-way out to demand a bunch of dongles just to make your computer connect to common devices like monitors, TVs, oscilloscopes, other test equipment, etc.
                    • No, I prefer to NOT need to carry a bunch of $10-$20 adapters all the time to be able to be functional. I'd rather not have to remember yet-another-thing to pack and bring. I think it's wasteful and disruptive. After all, you can make a tiny laptop with a full complement of connectors, and smaller than a Macbook [theverge.com]. It's a lazy-way out to demand a bunch of dongles just to make your computer connect to common devices like monitors, TVs, oscilloscopes, other test equipment, etc.

                      You do you. Your selective umbrage at Apple is noted - which was my original point, whichwas that It isn't an Apple only issue that computers need adapters.

                    • I don't know where you think it's umbrage at Apple - it's umbrage at relying upon a hack (an adapter) to do what's needed. Apple is a prime example, but many others also uncessarily restrict connectivity in the chase for "form".
      • by gl4ss ( 559668 )

        at least they would work and function.

        whats the point of buying expensive components on a crappy board in a badly designed(thermally, electrically) shell, when you can't utilize the expensive components potential in the crappy shell?

        besides it's not like dell makes 2 inch laptops nowadays. one inch is plenty to pack in enough cooling potential and space for expandable storage etc.

        I got a hp more powerful than anything apple sells, for a lot less money than what apple would want for their better offerings, w

        • by cusco ( 717999 )

          And don't forget that there are ten times as many peripherals and fifty times as many apps available than for the Mac, **and** the Windows box will allow you to run them in compatibility modes that stretch all the way back to DOS if there isn't a new version. Of course the fanbois declare that those are advantages of the Mac because no one should ever run something that isn't new and flashy.

          • And don't forget that there are ten times as many peripherals and fifty times as many apps available than for the Mac, **and** the Windows box will allow you to run them in compatibility modes that stretch all the way back to DOS if there isn't a new version. Of course the fanbois declare that those are advantages of the Mac because no one should ever run something that isn't new and flashy.

            And don't forget that you can run your Mac in Bootcamp mode to run Windowsand do everything the Windows machine can do, plus have MacOS and Complete Unix.

            You mean you didn't know that? We have seen who the "fanboi" is, so Hello!

            • by cusco ( 717999 )

              You can run a parallel port Jazz drive to access archive media in Bootcamp mode? Will wonders never cease!

              No, you can't "do everything the Windows machine can do".

              • You can run a parallel port Jazz drive to access archive media in Bootcamp mode? Will wonders never cease!

                No, you can't "do everything the Windows machine can do".

                In the end, your silly point doesn't matter. I mean, Everyone runs Parallel ports but Apple don't they? You had to dig so deep with your argument that now you have to tell me how all present day windows machines will simply plug that ubiquitous Jazz drive into their parallel ports. After all, every Windows machine has one, amirite?

                If I for some reason I had a readable Jazz disc, and had a Jazz drive that didn't exhibit the dreaded clack of death, I'm going to dig up an ancient machine, either Mac or Windo

      • by lsllll ( 830002 )

        ... and start making 2 inch thick Dell style plastic laptops.

        Don't know why you're not getting modded as troll. I haven't seen a 2" laptop since 1980's. Even Apple's own Macbook Portable in 1991 was only 1.8".

      • Maybe Apple will now catch a clue.

        ... and start making 2 inch thick Dell style plastic laptops.

        Well, now that they've finished taking everything off the designs and perfected the featurless slab, the only logical way to go is to start putting stuff back off.

      • Maybe Apple will now catch a clue.

        ... and start making 2 inch thick Dell style plastic laptops.

        Just brought home my new 27 inch iMac. Loving every second I'm using it.

        Because there is a market for computers that have a combination of good looks, quality materials, and are useable by people from tyro to Unix weenie.

        And not using Windows 10 is rich buttercream icing on the cake.

        It is a big world, and there is a market for cheap plastic computers where the major selling point is low price - no problem with that. But those of us who are willing to pay the small premium for something elegant to s

        • And not using Windows 10 is rich buttercream icing on the cake.

          If only there was some other way to avoid it. That'd be just dreamy.

          Apple's very existence is based on building computers are not built as rock bottom cheaply as possible.

          An odd way of spelling making poseurs feel superior

          • And not using Windows 10 is rich buttercream icing on the cake.

            If only there was some other way to avoid it. That'd be just dreamy.

            Come on - I have two Windows 10 laptops that I use because I have to for a couple applications. I use them then put them away. It's the same with my Macs, except they stay out. People act as if the only platform that has all of people's needs is Windows. Well that's just wrong. In fact, Many of my programs are Mac Only, like Final Cut, and no Premiere doesn't cut it - although I have that on my Mac as well.

            If for some reason the raison d'être of your employment requires that you use Windows and o

    • LOL! I seriously doubt it. Apple has been sucking since Steve died. Cook sucks.
    • def, maybe people will finally start buying their products and they will make some money.

  • Yaaaasss! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by b0s0z0ku ( 752509 ) on Thursday November 28, 2019 @05:12PM (#59467744)

    Farewell to Mr. Form over Function. Buh bye, and good riddance.

    • by dstyle5 ( 702493 )
      But but I like phones that bend, "touch disease", really bad keyboards on laptops, and laptop screen cables that get broken by the hinges. Bring him back Crapple!!!!!!!! He was so great at designing garbage hardware!
      • Chargers that don't charge [cnbc.com], chargers that electrocute [ladbible.com] Only Apple can be this consistent.

        • "But but I like phones that bend, "touch disease", really bad keyboards on laptops, and laptop screen cables that get broken by the hinges. Bring him back Crapple!!!!!!!! He was so great at designing garbage hardware!"

          "Chargers that don't charge [cnbc.com], chargers that electrocute [ladbible.com] Only Apple can be this consistent."

          Speaking as an (ex-)mechanical engineer who used to work with industrial designers, congratulations on both picking out things that are mechanical and electrical engineer fails.

    • I don't disagree.

      But I would say, his Return-Of-Jobs, late 90's era iMac and iBook designs were really good and truly a breath of fresh air.

      I suspect that not having a "Jobs" in place to make final design decisions meant things plain weren't as good. Probably he should've recognised his own weaknesses (we all have them, so that isn't a criticism) and found someone to cover the role formerly performed by Jobs.

      IMHO anyway! ;-o
      • by mbkennel ( 97636 )
        The iPhone 5 was the best thought out for the tech availbable---and it was the last product Jobs had a direct influence on.

        https://www.imore.com/history-iphone-5

        The side thickness, design and ergonomics of buttons are still the best. An update of that design, in larger screen size but otherwise mostly unchanged would be fantastic.
    • by cusco ( 717999 )

      And nothing of value was lost . . .

  • by Proudrooster ( 580120 ) on Thursday November 28, 2019 @05:15PM (#59467752) Homepage

    On this day of Thanksgiving, let's all be thankful that Jony Ive is no longer leading design decisions at Apple.

    Good bye Jony Ive, don't let the thermal throttling, soldered in SSDs/RAM, and non-replaceable butterfly keyboards and batteries hit you in the arse as you beam down out of the spaceship.

    I could almost make a song out of this :)

    • by Ashthon ( 5513156 ) on Thursday November 28, 2019 @06:26PM (#59467892)

      soldered in SSDs/RAM, and non-replaceable... batteries

      It seems the laptop and smartphone industry views Ive as a visionary and have copied him.

      Now when your battery loses its ability to hold a charge, or you need RAM or storage upgrade, you have to buy a new device. Ive can stand back and gaze and the huge amount of waste this produces annually and feel proud. His legacy is secure.

      • It seems the laptop and smartphone industry views Ive as a visionary and have copied him.

        They copied him because they saw Apple was making a mint (20%+ profit margin, vs closer to 5% for the rest of the industry) despite these user-hostile features.

        Most of them didn't see similar profits, realized the foolishness of non-upgradeable components (not just for the user, but it requires your service dept keep a separate system board in stock for every possible combination of RAM and SSD size), and have stopp

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      It's interesting that the new Macbook which is slightly thicker is basically what people have been asking for. Max size battery, no more thermal problems, decent keyboard... As soon as he is out of the way Apple start making half decent products again.

      Okay everything is still soldered to the motherboard and can't be upgraded/recovered, but maybe next year...

      • by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

        Okay everything is still soldered to the motherboard and can't be upgraded/recovered, but maybe next year..

        Unlikely, given the odd shape of the motherboard.

        First, the SSD is soldered in simply because the controller is built into the Apple T2 chip. I believe it's NVMe based, but it's basically part of the system controller chip that Apple uses to control ancillary functions (and the touch bar) including security (fingerprint). As such, the security key used to encrypt the storage is stored inside the T2 chi

    • Add a verse about how he wanted to rename the company to Aple. Seriously, WTF with "j o n y"?

  • by Dan East ( 318230 ) on Thursday November 28, 2019 @05:29PM (#59467778) Journal

    It must be really annoying for him to have autocorrect always trying to add an apostrophe to his last name.

    • by timholman ( 71886 ) on Thursday November 28, 2019 @05:38PM (#59467802)

      It must be really annoying for him to have autocorrect always trying to add an apostrophe to his last name.

      You're assuming he did his own typing, and all evidence indicates that was never the case ... at least on a Mac laptop with a butterfly keyboard.

    • It must be really annoying for him to have autocorrect always trying to add an apostrophe to his last name.

      Did you hear the guy who invented autocorrect died? I didn't even know he was I'll.

  • for new ideas again.
  • There’s no way the new 16” MacBook Pro would’ve passed the Ive Test.

    His final memo apparently stated “my only regret is I was unable to remove the rest of those fugly ports from Apple’s laptops.

  • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

    Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • Apple jumped the shark a couple years ago with unfettered Jony Ive. Maybe now things will get less stupid over there.

      Sam

    • Which shark? The awful unrepairable devices with soldered on bullshit everywhere and "bravely" removing features shark? If so, that's great, maybe more phone makers can jump that shark.

      Back when Jobs was alive, he had the final say on things and I'm sure he put a stop to a lot of Ive's worse bullshit. Jobs may have been an asshole but he understood how people related to technology. Ive apparently didn't seem to actually have that understanding and instead had an obsession with making phones thin to the p
  • by Camembert ( 2891457 ) on Thursday November 28, 2019 @07:07PM (#59467974)
    Ive likes mechanical watches - so do I.
    Would be fun to see him doing a traditional mechanical watch design. He and Mark Newson gave the Apple watch several nice design elements.
    They also designed a beautiful one-off Leica camera.
    • Would be fun to see him doing a traditional mechanical watch design.

      He'd just give it a crown that only stuck out 0.5mm, and which got dust in it and stopped turning.

    • by JackAxe ( 689361 )
      And apparently he liked cheese graters. :)
  • by Anonymous Coward

    Just sayin...

    https://apple.slashdot.org/story/19/07/01/1457240/jony-ive-left-apple-because-of-ceo-tim-cooks-lack-of-interest-in-product-design-report-says

  • by drinkypoo ( 153816 ) <drink@hyperlogos.org> on Thursday November 28, 2019 @09:04PM (#59468130) Homepage Journal

    ...the worms crawl out.

  • by ILongForDarkness ( 1134931 ) on Thursday November 28, 2019 @09:22PM (#59468156)

    Maybe less aluminum talk. Also: maybe a button/port where it could be useful, and dropping the 11mm thin, thin isn't a unit of measurement you twat ;)

    That said been about 6 yrs since I've bought an apple product not sure what they can do to get me back.

  • Johnny 5 no disassemble! I need a hero!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POxMp61Ksbk

  • .. for ones menthal health? I sincerely hope that Jony will take the time to review what one can do for mankind without commercial thoughts in mind. Maybe there are plenty of benevolent ideas that could spring to mind of his well-functioning-design-kindness that would be useful in this Greta-world of aka awareness..
  • For most insiders it's pretty hard to know if this change in the arrangement actually means he will stop working on Apple products.

    Many people in this kind of role eventually choose to take a sabbatical or something. It's also possible that being an administrator didn't suit him as much as just making industrial art.

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