An era is coming to an end
According to The New York Times, Apple and Jony Ive are divorcing for good this time. Ive left the tech giant in 2019 after working there for more than 20 years and started his own business, LoveFrom, which had Apple as its first and main customer. According to the article, both parties decided to stop cooperating for the first time since the 1990s and to forgo contract extensions in the weeks preceding its renewal.
Ive, who worked closely with Steve Jobs, is credited with creating the translucent, candy-colored plastic covers that were a signature of earlier Mac computers. Along with the iPod, he also contributed to the creation of the white earphones, the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
In fact, it has been said that I provided ideas for Apple's future mixed reality headset. He was appointed Apple's first Chief Design Officer in 2015, yet throughout time, his position changed once again. Ive reportedly felt "dispirited" by Tim Cook's lack of interest in design and the CEO's choice to concentrate on selling software and services, according to allegations that surfaced after Ive departed Apple. Cook spoke to those rumors as ludicrous.
According to The Times, LoveFrom signed a multi-year deal for $100 million with Apple that forbade the company from working on any projects that the tech giant deemed to be in direct rivalry with its goods. Ive reportedly desired the ability to accept new clients without first seeking Apple's approval. The management of the company, meanwhile, appeared to be unhappy with the staff leaving to work for his design firm and questioning the amount Apple was paying him.
Cook expressed his desire to "look forward to working with Jony far into the future" back when Ive departed Apple and LoveFrom agreed to a contract with the organization. It will be interesting to see if this suggests that they might collaborate once more.
Unless, of course, one or both of the parties promise they would never, ever get back together, taking a page from the great Taylor Swift. The 55-year-old Mr. Ive declined to comment through a spokesman. Apple also choose not to respond.
According to more than a dozen people who worked closely with Mr. Ive, Mr. Ive had grown frustrated as Mr. Cook shifted the focus of the rapidly growing firm away from significant design leaps and toward operations before he left Apple in June 2019. Mr. Cook concentrated on selling additional software and services, so the designer transitioned to a part-time position.
