Apple's design leadership in flux

The original iPhone (Photo: Apple)

Apple's iconic design aesthetic, once synonymous with the visionary leadership of Jony Ive, has undergone significant upheaval in recent years. Since Ive's departure in 2019, the company has struggled to maintain a steady design helm. His handpicked successor, Evans Hankey, left in 2022, triggering a mass exodus of key design talent.

The departure of Hankey and her team left Apple with a substantial leadership void. To address this, the company initially placed the entire design team under the purview of Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, an unusual move given his extensive responsibilities.

In a recent restructuring, Apple has elevated veteran Molly Anderson to lead the industrial design team. While this shift provides some stability, Anderson's role is less prominent than her predecessors, as she does not hold the title of vice president. The company continues to search for a permanent replacement for Hankey and maintains Williams as the overall head of design.

This ongoing leadership transition, coupled with a significant generational shift in the design team, raises questions about the future direction of Apple's product aesthetics.