Alan Dye, who has led Apple’s UI design team since 2015, is leaving to join Meta as its chief design officer, Bloomberg reports. He’ll join Meta on December 31st, and Meta is opening a design studio and giving Dye oversight of design for “hardware, software and AI integration for its interfaces,” according to Bloomberg. Dye will report to Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth.
Designer Steve Lemay will replace Dye at Apple, the company confirmed to Bloomberg. “Steve Lemay has played a key role in the design of every major Apple interface since 1999,” CEO Tim Cook told Bloomberg in a statement. “He has always set an extraordinarily high bar for excellence and embodies Apple’s culture of collaboration and creativity.” Following the recent retirement of former COO Jeff Williams, Apple’s design team now reports to Tim Cook.
Here’s what Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says about the new design studio and the role of design at the company:
The new studio will bring together design, fashion, and technology to define the next generation of our products and experiences. Our idea is to treat intelligence as a new design material and imagine what becomes possible when it is abundant, capable, and human-centered. We plan to elevate design within Meta, and pull together a talented group with a combination of craft, creative vision, systems thinking, and deep experience building iconic products that bridge hardware and software.
In other post, he says:
We’re entering a new era where AI glasses and other devices will change how we connect with technology and each other. The potential is enormous, but what matters most is making these experiences feel natural and truly centered around people. With this new studio, we’re focused on making every interaction thoughtful, intuitive, and built to serve people.
Apple designer Billy Sorrentino is also leaving to join Meta, Zuckerberg says.
Apple didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
Dye’s departure is the latest leadership change at Apple, and another one of many top designers who have left the company in the last several years. Williams officially left Apple in November, and the company announced earlier this week that AI chief John Giannandrea would be stepping down. Bloomberg has also reported that chips lead Johnny Srouji is evaluating his future at the company.
Update, December 3rd: Added posts from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
It’s interesting to see such a significant shift in leadership between major tech companies. Alan Dye’s contributions to Apple’s UI design have certainly shaped user experiences, and it’ll be intriguing to see how he influences Meta’s design moving forward. Best of luck to him in this new chapter!
Absolutely, it really highlights how competitive the tech industry is right now. Alan Dye’s experience at Apple could bring fresh perspectives to Meta, especially as they continue to innovate in user interfaces and virtual experiences. It’ll be fascinating to see how this transition influences both companies moving forward.
You’re right, the competition is fierce! It’s interesting to consider how his unique design perspective from Apple may influence Meta’s future projects. It’ll be exciting to see what innovations he brings to the table in this new role.
Absolutely, his unique design perspective will definitely bring something fresh to Meta. It’ll be fascinating to see how his experience at Apple influences their interface and user experience. Change often sparks innovation!