Apple’s design team has just seen another notable exit. Abidur Chowdhury, a rising star within the group who was instrumental in designing the iPhone Air, has left the company. According to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Chowdhury departed for a position at an artificial intelligence startup.
Chowdhury’s exit has reportedly made waves inside Apple due to his growing prominence. He spent over six years at the company, joining in 2019 right around the time legendary design chief Jony Ive departed, which marked the end of a major era for Apple’s design philosophy.
Chowdhury wasn’t just a behind-the-scenes player. He played a key role in the iPhone Air’s development and was even featured as the voice in its marketing introduction video. His departure is reportedly unrelated to the iPhone Air’s performance, which has seen its design praised even while sales have been underwhelming. Gurman has previously noted that a second-generation model is slated for 2027.
This latest departure highlights a “near-complete overhaul” of Apple’s design group since Ive left several years ago. Most of the senior members from that era have now either retired or moved on to other companies. Today, the team is primarily composed of new recruits from the wider design industry and more junior members from within Apple.
The changes aren’t just limited to individual designers. The group, which works at the very heart of Apple’s product development, has seen major leadership shifts this year. Jeff Williams, Apple’s longtime COO who had been overseeing the design team, left the company just last week. The user interface side of the design organization has also faced its own string of departures.
Following the exit of Jeff Williams, Apple confirmed in July that its design teams would begin reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook. This move places Cook in direct oversight of the group responsible for the look and feel of all future Apple products.
What are your thoughts on these changes? Do you think Apple’s design magic can continue under this new structure? Let us know in the comments below. Stay updated with the latest news on this by downloading the Appleosophy App from the App Store or by visiting our website.
