Apple’s design legacy, once synonymous with Jony Ive’s sleek innovations, has faced significant upheaval since his 2019 departure. But as we step into 2025, signs point to a revival. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter, the company is shaking off years of flux with fresh leadership and product boldness.
When Jony Ive left Apple, it triggered a domino effect. The majority of his hardware design team followed suit, either joining his LoveFrom studio or scattering to other ventures. Even Evans Hankey, who stepped in as Ive’s successor, exited after just three years and later contributed to Ive’s AI devices firm—now acquired by OpenAI.
Today, Apple’s industrial design group is mostly newcomers, guided by holdovers like Molly Anderson, now vice president, and Richard Howarth, a veteran from Ive’s time. This shift has left the team leaner but potentially ripe for new ideas. On the software side, Alan Dye’s human interface team hasn’t been spared. Key figures like senior director Patrick Coffman departed at the end of 2023, followed by director Cyrus Daniel Irani in July. Just this month, Johnnie Manzari—the lead behind the camera app and a staple in product demos—announced his exit.
Other notable departures include Marcel Van Os, Teo Connor, Alli Dryer, Aurelio Guzman, Daniel Galvan, and Daniel Strongwater. Many landed at companies like Airbnb, OpenAI, and Tesla, signaling a talent drain to diverse tech frontiers. The biggest shakeup? Jeff Williams, Apple’s longtime COO and design overseer since 2019, stepped down as Tim Cook’s No. 2 in July. He’s sticking around as design chief until year’s end, after which Anderson and Dye will report directly to Cook.
Despite the turnover, Apple hasn’t slowed down. Devices like the Vision Pro headset and Ultra smartwatch hit the market, though they were conceived years ago. Design evolution has felt stagnant—until now. In 2025, Apple is making waves with its Liquid Glass design language across all operating systems. Love it or hate it, it’s a unified refresh that’s turning heads. Take the iPhone 17 lineup: Apple is prioritizing toughness. The Pro models are packing more features, like enhanced batteries and cameras, even if it bulks them up. This thicker, heavier build marks a departure from the ultra-slim obsession of past years.
Last week’s iPhone 17 event was steeped in design homage. An opening video quoted Steve Jobs: “Design is not just what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works.” It was the first such nod since the Steve Jobs Theater opened in 2017. Tim Cook echoed this, emphasizing design as core to Apple’s identity. Hardware chief John Ternus praised the team as the “best in the world,” while Anderson spoke to the press—a rare spotlight.
Evoking Ive’s era, Apple aired videos narrated by British-accented employees. Anderson detailed the iPhone 17 Pro’s aluminum unibody, and newcomer Abidur Chowdhury explained the iPhone Air’s creation. These deep dives, absent post-Ive, hint at a storytelling comeback. Apple’s moves suggest a return to its design roots, but time will tell if it’s genuine innovation or clever PR. As Gurman notes, the proof will be in upcoming products and how the revamped team pushes boundaries.
For Apple fans, this could mean more resilient, feature-packed devices that honor the past while embracing the future. What do you think?—let us know in the comments. Stay updated with the latest news and deals by downloading the Appleosophy App from the App Store or by visiting our website.
