Jonathan Ive, known as Jony, is Apple's Senior Vice President of Design and the man responsible for turning Steve Jobs' iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad into real, physical objects with just exactly the right feel, in perfectly the right color. And when asked in a two-part interview with The Telegraph which Apple design he'd most liked to be remembered for, he says we haven't seen it yet.
“It’s a really tough one. A lot does seem to come back to the fact that what we’re working on now feels like the most important and the best work we’ve done, and so it would be what we’re working on right now, which of course I can’t tell you about.”
Apple is famous for its secrecy about future products. I ask what will happen if the Queen asks about the new iPhone today. Will he have to say, “I’m sorry Your Majesty, we don’t comment on forthcoming products”?
“That would be funny,” he laughs.
But I notice he doesn’t say no.
Ive is in England to receive his knighthood for services to design and enterprise.
Born in Chingford, Essex in 1967 to a furniture and silverware maker who helped inspire Ive's attention to detail, after studying at Newcastle Polytechnic he ended up at Apple just prior to Steve Jobs' return, and became head of design at Apple shortly after Jobs' return. The rest, very literally, is history.
When asked about "focus" Ive re-interates a sentiment we've heard from him before, but should always be kept in mind in the months and weeks before Apple device launches.
“We try to develop products that seem somehow inevitable. That leave you with the sense that that’s the only possible solution that makes sense,” he explains. “Our products are tools and we don’t want design to get in the way. We’re trying to bring simplicity and clarity, we’re trying to order the products.
“I think subconsciously people are remarkably discerning. I think that they can sense care.”
Ive also repeats his belief that design shouldn't be obvious, that a designer should sweat and fret the details, figure out the complex problems, and present the end user only with the simplicity and elegance of the solution.
Interestingly, when asked about the visual complexity of skeuomorphism in software -- the stitched leather in Calendar specifically -- Ive claims his areas of responsibility are not connected to to those elements.
Both parts of the interview are worth a read.
Source: The Telegraph, x2
Reader comments
Jonathan Ive says Apple's designs are inevitable, and his best and most important is yet to come
skeuomorphism*
Rene is studying to take the SATs. This is the word of the week. :)
You know, its the same as re-interates.
Saying the Apple designs are the ones that make sense, and are the only possible solution, might not be the best thing to say when fighting Samsung in the courts about this very thing :)
Clever.
Actual it's perfect. He is not saying they are the ONLY solution. But that the development of the product is so good that it leaves you with a SENSE that that's the only solution. I.e our design isn't the only solution but we found what feels like the best solution.
skeuomorphism
His comments have me intrigued about what's coming next. Considering the effects of the iPod,iPhone,andmipadmthe fact that the device he would most want to be remembered for is forthcoming is pretty interesting.
He's so pretty to look at. ;)
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