Jony Ive has worked with Apple for over 25 years, but now it looks as though Ive has officially left the company, with his profile being removed from Apple’s leadership page. Neither Apple nor Ive have commented on the matter, although it’s a move that many have expected for months.
Jony Ive joined the company in 1992 and became its lead product designer in 1996. In the years since then, he’s been at the helm of some of Apple’s most well-received products. For the past several years, however, many people had believed that Ive had ‘checked out’ of designing the company’s products in favor of its new spaceship headquarters.
Speaking about the impact that Ive has had on the firm, CEO Tim Cook said:
“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.”
Jony Ive has also been busy building a new company, LoveFrom, which he founded in collaboration with Marc Newson. The two have collaborated extensively in the past, with the two eventually becoming close friends.
Cook has mentioned that Apple will continue benefiting from Ive’s talents by forming a close relationship between the two companies. However, it’s unclear as to which projects LoveFrom will be working on. Despite this, rumors have been circulating, with some suggesting that the two companies could be working on an Apple Car, as both Ive and Newson have complained about the state of modern car designs.