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Apple’s major replacement for Jony Ive is leaving. The corporate has confirmed to Bloomberg that industrial design head Evans Hankey is departing after three years. There isn’t any named substitute as of this writing, however Hankey will reportedly stay in her place for six months as a part of a transition. Alan Dye, who took the software program design reins from Ive in 2019, will keep in his position.
The shuffle might not be strictly detrimental. Bloomberg‘s sources declare Gary Butcher, one among Dye’s former high designers and presently Airbnb’s design VP, is returning to Apple. It isn’t clear what obligations Butcher may take upon his return.
In an announcement to Bloomberg, Apple careworn that its design unit has “robust leaders with many years of expertise” and creates merchandise which might be “undeniably” consultant of the corporate. There isn’t any clarification given as to why Hankey is leaving.
Hankey had many expectations positioned on her when she took over. Ive was answerable for a lot of Apple’s most iconic {hardware} designs, together with the iMac, iPod and iPhone. Whereas it isn’t clear precisely how a lot Hankey has formed product design (Ive solely completely parted ways in July), she has overseen a mixture of appreciated reworks and delicate evolutions throughout her tenure. The corporate dropped the unpopular butterfly keyboard-era MacBooks in favor of more practical models and launched just a few main redesigns, such because the iMac M1. On the identical time, warning has typically been the order of the day — witness an Apple Watch that, other than the Ultra, hasn’t modified a lot since 2018.
This does not essentially spell bother for Apple. It does, nonetheless, elevate the potential for a change in design course, notably for merchandise in unfamiliar classes. The agency continues to be extensively rumored to be growing a mixed reality headset, augmented actuality glasses and even an electric car. Though Hankey’s affect should be felt with any main introductions, there’s an opportunity her successor will add a brand new spin to these gadgets.
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