After graduating from Newcastle, he received his first iMac. Little did he know that two decades later, he would be the one to introduce it once again. He is the designer behind the iPod, iMac, MacBook, iPhone, and iPad. Just like the samurai swords—light, polished, sharp, and with high craftsmanship—Jony Ive’s vision is what drives Apple’s design genius. He continuously seeks to produce new materials and collaborates with the latest innovators to create the thinnest computers in the world, going as far as embarking on a 14-hour journey to meet with a Japanese manufacturer in Katana.
After my previous experiences with Apple products, I began to ask myself: What made me spend so much money on a tablet, mobile phone, or small computer that other companies offer at half the price? What made me eagerly wait for their products to be available in our markets? And when I finally get one and open the box, all I find is a small booklet, two Apple stickers, and a charging/sync cable! Was it worth the effort, time, and loyalty to a company from which I am buying a product for the first time, only to do it again later? Or was it the genius marketing and media hype that blinded me into following the crowd?
The same scenario repeats itself every time I get an Apple product. I begin by thoroughly inspecting it, holding it from every angle, flipping it right and left, trying to scrutinize every tiny detail, and then I turn it on. I always feel that same excitement and rush behind the queues of buyers. Every report I read about it and every word that mentioned Apple flashes through my mind. Yes, it was worth the effort and loyalty. I didn’t want to let it go. The smoothness of its edges, its color grade, and the prestigious logo etched on its back—it wasn’t just media hype; it was a series of smiles expressed by everyone in their own way. I didn’t just follow the crowd; I gave myself a chance to experience something entirely different, something worth appreciating the effort of every person behind its creation. It’s the result of years of work by those who turned dreams into reality, who turned them into a way, a method, and a model for everyone who holds an Apple product.
What I Will Discuss Here
I won’t talk about the success story of Apple, nor about Steve Jobs—at least not now. What I will discuss is the designer behind Apple’s outstanding products: the iPod, iMac, MacBook, iPhone, and iPad. No, he doesn’t work alone; he has a team of brilliant and creative minds, but he is the true designer behind these products and the one who brings ideas from paper to reality. This blog post has been in preparation for nearly four months. Yes, I’ve been researching everything about “Jony Ive,” everything he was involved in, and every blog post about him. I even skipped most of the chapters in “Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography” just to reach the section about Jony Ive and Apple’s design studio to translate and compile them.
Do you think it’s worth reading all of this? If so, continue with us.
Jonathan Paul Ive
A British designer and the Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple, born in February 1967 in England, United States. He married Heather Pegg in 1987, whom he met while pursuing his degree in industrial design at Northumbria University. They have twins and live in the “Twin Peaks” area in San Francisco. He prefers to be called “Jony.” He studied art and design at Newcastle University in England. His behavior is calm, leaving his wife and twins at home in San Francisco and driving a short distance to his workplace at Apple’s “Bentley Brooklands.”
His father’s experience greatly influenced him, as he was an artistic and highly skilled draughtsman and a teacher at Stanford.
When Ive finished his studies in the industrial design course at Newcastle, he got his first Macintosh. Little did he know that two decades later, he would be at Apple, redesigning this very machine.
He rarely speaks to the media, doesn’t have a Twitter account, and no one, not even Apple’s top executives, is allowed into his lab. That’s his and Apple’s policy. Ive only discusses design topics on rare occasions.
“Jony’s humility aligns perfectly with Apple’s DNA.”
They work intensely for weeks and months. They work in secrecy and trust what they produce.
The Journey to Apple…
In 1989, he joined Tangerine, a design firm, as a partner after presenting unique designs for a bathroom fittings company in Newcastle and delivering a remarkable presentation to the company. He dealt with various products, from electrical devices to washbasins. Apple was a client of Tangerine at the time, and he also provided design consulting services for other companies, which caught Apple’s attention.
One day, an Apple official asked Jony to step outside for a chat under the sun. Though the weather wasn’t sunny, when Jony returned with a smile on his face, everyone knew he had received a job offer from Apple in 1992.
At that time, Apple was facing many challenges, including issues with Microsoft and other problems related to patents and the technical side of their products.
But the reality at Apple was not as Jony expected. His career there was somewhat cursed, as he began working in a basement and no one paid attention to him or his work. The first three years were miserable for him.
However, everything changed when Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997. Steve was looking for creative minds to bring his unique vision to life, and that vision was:
The First iMac
Steve Jobs told him in the late nineties that he wanted to work on a new iMac with a completely different concept from other personal computers. He wanted it to be more lively and attractive. This was Jony’s opportunity to showcase his talent and creativity, and who better than Steve Jobs to nurture that talent? Jony was determined to prove to Steve and Apple that the time had come for him to emerge from the shadows of his miserable years. He spent countless hours at candy factories, searching for inspiration. Steve wanted to show the world that the iMac wasn’t just a work device but also a machine for entertainment—a message Jony understood and embraced. Certainly, Steve’s visionary thinking planted that creative seed within Jony’s soul, but it was Jony who transformed those ideas into tangible, iconic creations now synonymous with Apple’s esteemed name.
Ive and his team spent an unimaginable amount of time researching, sketching, digging, experimenting, and choosing colors while designing the new iMac, ensuring everything was harmonious and consistent with the nature of personal computers at the time.
For instance, Ive spent an entire month perfecting the iMac’s stance on the desktop and its unique positioning.
In May 1998, Apple introduced the iMac G3 to the market. It was drastically different from the dull, lifeless computers people were accustomed to at that time. The iMac resembled a translucent egg, with all its components beautifully integrated into one device. This marked the beginning of Apple’s revolution. But on the other hand, despite Ive’s and Steve’s creativity, they faced challenges with users accepting the iMac’s design and the modern “USB” technology, which sparked some issues and divided opinions. Despite some mistakes and issues with the first iMac that caused it to be temporarily withdrawn from the market, it was clear that the time had come to move past these problems and aim for perfection and world-shaking innovation with a revolutionary concept. That concept was:
The First iPod
When the iPod was introduced in 2001, things changed significantly. Apple demonstrated to its customers that they thought differently and truly understood simplicity in the music experience. Even the first iPod was an engineering marvel, with only a headphone jack, a charging/data port, and the serial numbers engraved on each part to avoid ugly stickers.
And let’s not forget the white earbuds, which were rare—almost nonexistent—in that color. Jony recounts how, when working on Apple’s white earbuds, he asked several people what they thought of the color. Everyone dismissed white as a silly idea.
The scroll wheel on the iPod was another unique feature, often mistaken for a stereo wheel, a comment Jony heard thousands of times. Media players at the time didn’t have such storage capacity or ease of use, and the wheel, as Jony says, was the main innovative element that made the iPod user-friendly, distinctive in appearance, and eventually, something you’d love.
It’s time to step away from Apple for a moment and focus more on Jony, starting with:
Jony Ive’s Keys to Success
The First Key: He loves to make things perfect, complete, and extremely creative, balanced, and elegant.
The Second Key: A crucial point he emphasizes is “the interaction between design and manufacturing.” For example, the MacBook Pro, made from a single piece of aluminum, is a positive point for both design and production.
The Final Key: Coordination and interaction between the designer and the company owner, something Ive experienced firsthand. And who better than Steve Jobs for that?
What Inspires Jony Ive?
Nature: Many of his products are inspired by nature, like the “Magic Mouse,” which drew inspiration from water droplets. The same goes for the iMac G3, which was inspired by a sunflower.
Honey: He says honey influenced many of his designs and led him to create designs in aluminum and plastic.
Music: He loves music; it inspires him and fuels his emotions even during the toughest work times.
Everything Around Him: Jony Ive says he buys things without looking inside them. He examines their exterior and scrutinizes every small detail.
Dieter Rams in Jony’s Life
A fact not widely known is that Jony Ive draws inspiration from another genius designer, Dieter Rams. Dieter is the man behind Braun’s designs, having created some of the most iconic designs for radios and juicers.
Ive says of Dieter: “The surfaces of his designs are bold, pure, fluid, and cohesive, and you can feel the effort he put into them.” He believes that Dieter Rams and his team changed many concepts during their time and did things that deserve to be emulated, even if only to give them a fraction of the credit they deserve.
Dieter on Apple: “Apple is one of the few brands that truly deserve the word ‘design’ on their products. I’ve noticed that good, bold designs only emerge when there’s a strong relationship between the designer and the responsible businessman or company owner, as is the case with Apple between Steve and Jony.”
“I’m always amazed when I see Apple’s products and the results they achieve, using the power of their products to convince people to stand in line to buy them.”
We’re not done yet…