Tim Cook will now oversee Apple's design team
What's the story
In a major shift, Apple CEO Tim Cook will lead the company's design team. The change comes as current COO Jeff Williams is set to retire later this year. Until now, the design team reported to Williams. He had been instrumental in shaping the Cupertino tech giant's products following Jony Ive's exit in 2019.
Leadership transition
Simplified leadership structure
As Williams prepares to retire, Apple is simplifying its leadership structure. Until his departure, he will continue to oversee Apple's design team, health projects, as well as the Apple Watch division. After that, Sabih Khan—Apple's Senior Vice President of Operations—will become the company's new COO but won't take on the design team responsibility which will go directly to Cook.
Design oversight
Design consistency and vision
Apple is known for its design prowess, and this change is seen as a strategic move. Industry experts believe having the design team report directly to Cook might help the company stay true to its vision and maintain design consistency. The change comes at a time when Apple is undergoing a major design shift with the introduction of Liquid Glass, a new visual style for its products.
Innovation
Apple's new visual style
Liquid Glass is a fresh appearance that brings more transparency, depth, and movement to Apple's software. Buttons appear like glass with the content scrolling underneath them in real-time. Alan Dye, Apple's VP of Human Interface Design, says this new design mixes the look of glass with a smooth interactive feel that only Apple can pull off.
Inspiration
Biggest design update ever
Apple has dubbed this its biggest design update ever, inspired by the Vision Pro headset. The new look features shiny, transparent effects, and recent beta versions show Apple has slightly dialed back the shine for better readability. There are also rumors of the new design language influencing its hardware, with a special edition iPhone for its 20th anniversary in 2027.