Apple has had an impressive run since Tim Cook became CEO. The company has reached new heights, selling more iPhones, Macs, and Apple Watches year-over-year. The company has done what many thought was impossible - continue to grow. But at what cost? A new report details a day that would mark the end of an era and change Apple forever.

On June 27, 2019, Apple announced that its chief design officer, Jony Ive, would be leaving. Ive had been with the company for 27 years. For many, this came as a shock. Over the past couple of decades, Ive had become synonymous with the company's designs, credited with making its products look sleek and appealing. There wasn't any apparent friction, but behind the curtains, Apple and Ive had reached a tipping point. It was time for change.

Tripp Mickle, who authored “After Steve: How Apple Became a Trillion-Dollar Company and Lost Its Soul”, explores what went wrong at Apple and how a decades old partnership turned sour. Interestingly, the Apple Watch seems to be a point of contention. With Ive wanting a grandiose unveiling, one that would require a tent, removal of trees, and a cost of $25 million. For Ive, the cost was necessary to bring the Apple Watch into the world. It was the right way - the only way.

After two years of development, thousands of engineering hours and countless days agonizing over the suppleness of leather and strength of gold for Apple’s bold new product, the company’s design chief, Jony Ive, was thrust into a high-stakes debate over the most primitive concern: a tent.

Under Cook, Apple would change, becoming more streamlined and shifting its focus to profits. This did not suit Ive, the two had different philosophies and it had begun to take its toll. Naturally, there is more to the story. If you'd like the full in-depth read, you'll have to pick up the book, “After Steve: How Apple Became a Trillion-Dollar Company and Lost Its Soul” or read the adaptation at the source link below.


Source: The New York Times