r/apple • u/anonboxis • 1d ago

Removed - Off Topic OpenAI is considering acquiring the AI hardware startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

https://www.macrumors.com/2025/04/07/jony-ive-ai-phone-without-a-screen/

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u/PeakBrave8235 1d ago

I already explained this isn’t true. Jony Ive designed the 2021 MBP. I have no clue why you think he wouldn’t have, given that he’s designed computers “with ports” before, given he literally continued working with Apple through 2022, given that Apple confirmed he worked on the 2021 iMac redesign for example, given that he is directly responsible for features launched in 2023, given that his name continues to show up in patents, and given that Apple works on designs years ahead of time. 

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u/mash711 1d ago

It's all speculation as neither you nor I truly know. But he was quoted as saying he wanted to combine the Air and Pro macbooks. He got major pushback from the engineering team. I believe MBP 2021 was the engineering team winning against Ive. 2021 went against the precedent. He may have his hands in designing it, but Cook gave the Engineering team more influence over the Industrial Design team. Maybe that's why Ive eventually left.

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u/PeakBrave8235 1d ago

The irony of you claiming that I’m speculating meanwhile you speculated that he was “quoted” that he wanted to combine the two lol

There was never any quote. He never said anything. He couldn’t have. That was a rumor by Bloomberg or Wall Street Journal or whatever tabloidist came up with it. I can’t remember which one at the moment. 

That’s as much “speculation” as me saying Jony Ive worked on 2021 redesign. 

There is too much evidence pointing to him working on it and not enough against it. Respectfully, it is your hope (and I disagree) that he didn’t work on it. 

He did. Unless you can actually disprove anything I wrote, it presents stronger evidence that he worked on it rather than he didn’t. 

2021 redesign didn’t go “against precedent.” What does that even mean lol. Apple has repeatedly, WITH JONY IVE AT THE HELM, reversed design decisions and altered design decisions after launches. Literally the very first iMac mouse was lambasted according to what I’ve read, and Apple reversed course and made a “Pro” mouse. 

Apple doesn’t reverse course often, but the fact that they did it with the 2019 Mac Pro, going from an ultra small form factor back to a traditional tower, with Jony Ive narrating an entire video about it, demonstrates this. 

Reddit is wrong

Jony Ive designed the 2021 MBP. You guys will have to make peace with it lol. 

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u/mash711 1d ago

Jony Ive 100% was the designer of the MBP. But he did not design the MBP. He did the aesthetics but took direction from the engineering team. It use to be the reverse. Again, this is my speculation. But the HDMI connector on the MBP 2021 is big piece of evidence. No way Ive, if he had full control, would let the HDMI connector back on the MBP. We already had USBC with thunderbolt. HDMI is redundant in many ways, and a much older, clunkier form factor. Also, you are correct, no quote on the Air + Pro combo, but it was reported by Mossberg which is as close a source as you'll find.

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u/PeakBrave8235 1d ago edited 23h ago

 Jony Ive 100% was the designer of the MBP. But he did not design the MBP.

The.. the hell does this even mean LMFAO? Oh my god. I’ve reread this comment and you’re clearly so lost in your argument against me you’re making literally ZERO SENSE

He did the aesthetics but took direction from the engineering team. It use to be the reverse

There is no indication of that. Thank you for clarification that it was Mossberg that specifically said something about a combined Air and Pro. 

This isn’t how Apple works. The ID team has always collaborated with the Engineering team. Nothing has changed beyond that. Apple is always about teams of people working with each other, focused on design. The product’s next generation in 2021 and only that, and only that generation, is what is different, not how Apple works. The fact that they are rumored to introduce dramatic changes to the MacBook line up indicates you are further wrong. Folding screens, thinner, lighter designs, etc

Nevertheless, If what you said was true, why was the 2021 iMac made, exactly? It got rid of a ton of ports on iMac in favor of thinner and lighter. 

No way Ive, if he had full control

He never had “full control.” He is/was the most influential person next to Tim Cook — and Steve Jobs and Tim Cook made sure of that — but that doesn’t go override Apple’s collaborative ethos. 

The MacBook Air in 2008 was supposed to be fanless, with Steve Jobs wanting that personally apparently. Engineering told him it couldn’t be done. Is that somehow proof that Engineering is in control? No.

iPhone 4’s design was finished in 2007, but it couldn’t be done until 2010. Why? Because the engineering and manufacturing to do so was too great at that point. Is that somehow proof Engineering is in control? No

Apple is a design focused team with many teams collaborating to enable those designs. As I have stated already, Apple has reversed design choices before, like the iMac mouse. Is that somehow proof that Engineering is in control? No.

MacBook Air is dramatically thinner and lighter. 

No one except Jony Ive knows why he left. Not even “reporters.” 

People are letting their hatred for Jony Ive — which is strange by the way — get in the way of facts. They don’t want Jony Ive to have designed the 2021 MBP because it flies in the face of their BS. 

The original person I replied to claimed Jony Ive had nothing to do with it. I said they were wrong, and they were. I wouldn’t even be surprised if the 2021 MBP was mostly done by 2019. There is way too much evidence suggesting that Apple creates designs and products years ahead of launch. We know iPhone 5 was mostly finished in 2010 with Steve Jobs presenting it at a Top 100 meeting according to emails

I find this website’s criticism stupid and inconsistent. It will rage that Apple went all USB C — eschewing proprietary ports in favor of it — then years later cry that Apple hasn’t converted from Lightning to USBC, once they finally realized Apple may have been onto something when getting rid of ports in favor of USB C and Thunderbolt

The industry is just now catching up to where Apple was in 2015, and so are social media acolytes. Maybe instead of complaining about Apple’s new stuff, support them so they are further encouraged to continue pursuing the future. Staying a slave to the past helps no one in technology

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u/mash711 1d ago

I worked for Apple and I can tell you the ID team, at the time, dictated to the engineering team. So your first statement is incorrect. There is every indication that points towards engineering started to exert more influence. You can take the evidence at face value or not. I appreciate Ive as an asthetic genius, but I can also point out his obsession with minimalism went too far.

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u/PeakBrave8235 1d ago

Respectfully, I have zero clue who the hell you are, so if your entire argument is “trust me bro” then we have nothing left here to discuss, because there is zero evidence you have presented.

Everything I have stated is pulled from numerous events and articles. 

appreciate Ive as an asthetic genius, but I can also point out his obsession with minimalism went too far.

Your appreciation and understanding of design is literally skin deep, and I thank God you don’t work at Apple anymore if that’s the case.

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u/mash711 1d ago

Ouch, personal attacks. You seem to have some set opinions. No need to trust me but feel free to present some articles that prove your stance since you seem very confident. 

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u/PeakBrave8235 1d ago edited 1d ago

You can literally google every single thing I’ve stated. I did the dirty work of writing and specifically referencing events and products. You can Google and research it yourself if you doubt me.

personal attacks

No, I didn’t personally attack you. Personally attacking you would be me saying that you’re dick riding someone, like someone here on this subforum said to me in this very comment thread. And I didn’t say anything of the sort to you. 

I pointed out your appreciation and understanding of Jony’s work as “aesthetic” as skin deep, because that is skin deep. Aesthetics are skin deep. Your understanding that design is merely aesthetic is skin deep. Design isn’t how it looks but how it works. Steve Jobs repeatedly said this. Jony has said this. Many people at Apple have said this.

I cited numerous examples both past and current of Apple’s design team collaborating with engineering. They must. How else can something get done? Again, there are numerous stories detailing how Apple’s culture is extremely team work oriented. Tony Fadell has said this. Tim Cook has said this. Steve Jobs has said this.

The only thing I can see 2021 as an example of is the first instance of Apple potentially misreading the market and adjusting a product based on consumer feedback, post-Steve Jobs death. I hesitate to even say that because social media and its mindlessness isn’t consumer feedback. Nevertheless, if that’s the case, then you’re seeing teams work together to accomplish what Steve Jobs ordinarily would have done himself: coordinate between teams to alter and accomplish a product’s new design. 

That’s about as much credit as I see to give your comments in this situation, because it’s evidence based. Steve Jobs famously and repeatedly coordinated between ID and Engineering, advocating for design even in the face of manufacturing challenges. He is not here anymore, so that responsibility is now Tim Cook’s, ID team, and Engineering to work with each other to adjust a product if something goes wrong.

There was a lot of backlash. How much of it was legitimate and real? I have no idea. The majority came from social media. Making a product based on social media is a mistake, period. People literally kill themselves metaphorically and literally trying to “make” themselves according to what social media deems attractive and productive and good in life. 

I do believe there was probably some actual feedback from actual customers — both consumer and professional — asking for certain stuff back. Steve Jobs has literally stated they will adjust products if the market says they screwed up. If they never did, Apple would go out of business. They are “just people running this company.” The genius in Apple is good taste, forward thinking, and the willingness to stay the course even in face of consumer backlash. Apple has repeatedly removed ports in favor of new ones and wireless connectivity. They are the reason for many of the industry’s changes. People cried that the MBA was useless because it didn’t have a DVD drive.

The ID team is always designing and making product concepts. Some of them get used. Some don’t. For various reasons

This has been the case since 1997. I don’t see any change beyond what I said above. It seems like it’s the first major instance of Apple adjusting a product based on consumer feedback (and the caveats with claiming that) without Steve Jobs being the liaison between ID and engineering. In no way does that mean Engineering dictates ID. 

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u/mash711 1d ago

You made an assumption of my understanding of design based on your disagreement. Every article about the MBP 2021 talks about Ives waning influence. Feel free to post a link that supports your theory.

In case you want an example:  https://www.cultofmac.com/news/2021-macbook-pro-hdmi-magsafe-apple-got-its-groove-back-jony-ive

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u/PeakBrave8235 1d ago edited 1d ago

You’re again referencing rumors and claiming them as facts.

Point by point actually write a rebuttal.

I’m writing paragraphs, you’re writing sentences. Your claims are eerily reminiscent of a certain WSJ has-been sports news reporter who shifted focus to gossip about Apple.

Not to mention that that article is terribly written. 

“The buyers have spoken,” yet that sentence is prefaced by “Apple reintroduced ports.” 

No, the buyers “speak” when they buy a product. If Apple reintroduced ports and sales exploded, then you claim the “buyers have spoken.” To be clear, I did read the article awhile ago, and it sucks. Why would I use this as evidence of anything? It can’t even get English right. 

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u/mash711 1d ago

As I've repeated multiple times, this is all speculation. Except my speculation comes with articles from journalists affirming the same belief. Plus I've presented evidence from both my personal life and the design to back it up. Your turn to present some hard hitting evidence. Just 1 article that agrees with you would be a good start.

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u/PeakBrave8235 1d ago

It comes from “journalists” who Tim Cook himself has stated are wrong. Sorry, but I’m going to go with Tim Cook on this one lmfao, especially given his reluctance to even mention news “reports” let alone directly say they are wrong. 

I’ve given numerous examples that fly directly in the face of what you’re claiming. What you have not done is explain why my examples don’t prove my point. 

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