In July this year, Apple announced that Jony Ive, the company’s chief design officer, would be leaving to form an independent design firm — LoveFrom. Today, Ive's profile has disappeared from Apple’s Leadership page hinting the end of his tenure at the company (first reported by The Verge). Ive joined Apple in 1992 and has led the design team since 1996. He took up his current role as chief design officer in 2015.
When Apple had announced about Jony Ive's exit this year, the company only mentioned that he would leave "later this year", however, the date of his departure was never officially announced. It had long been rumoured that Ive had one foot out the door and that his last real interest at Apple was to design the Apple Park, and not Apple products.
In 2015, Ive took an interim of two years and handed over management duties to vice presidents Richard Howarth and Alan Dye, while he designed the Apple Park. In 2017, he resumed his role as reporting manager.
Ive is one of the world’s most famous industrial designers and has worked on products, including the 1998 iMac, the first and subsequent iPhones, iPods and iPads, and the Apple Watch.
Ive's new company would be based in California.
(Also read: From 1998's iMac, to iPhone, to Apple Park: Jony Ive designed everything for Apple)
In the press release announcement earlier this year, Apple had said that the company will be among the primary clients of Ive's new design firm. “Apple will continue to benefit from Jony’s talents by working directly with him on exclusive projects, and through the ongoing work of the brilliant and passionate design team he has built,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said. “After so many years working closely together, I’m happy that our relationship continues to evolve and I look forward to working with Jony long into the future.”
Ive too reciprocated the same confidence in working closely with Apple even after exit. “After nearly 30 years and countless projects, I am most proud of the lasting work we have done to create a design team, process and culture at Apple that is without peer. Today it is stronger, more vibrant and more talented than at any point in Apple’s history. The team will certainly thrive under the excellent leadership of Evans, Alan and Jeff, who have been among my closest collaborators. I have the utmost confidence in my designer colleagues at Apple, who remain my closest friends, and I look forward to working with them for many years to come.” said Ive.
He also said that he would work on Apple's wearable technology and healthcare in addition to unspecified "personal passions". LoveFrom, however, will have other clients besides Apple.
