The New Yorker has a fantastic write-up on Sir Jonathan Ive, or Jonny Ive as he’s more commonly known. Spanning 17,000 words, it has depth as well as breadth, taking in quotes from people such as Apple CEO Tim Cook and Steve Jobs’ wife Powell Jobs.
Adding to his obvious talent since young age, Jony Ive has a tenancious attitude that allowed him to hang on for just a little more, at a time when Apple wasn’t doing really well.
Wasn’t doing really well would be an understatement. The year was 1997 and Apple’s outlook was bleak. Dark as the grey clouds that bring thunderstorm. But things did turn around. Steve Jobs became his most loyal friend, his mentor, and one of the rare few that is as obsessed about design as he is.
The more I read about him, the more I find he’s the kind of person that would rather get his hands dirty sketching and prototyping rather than micro-managing people. Luckily, he has a trusted small team of designers that are some of the best in the business.
This article really is about Ive the human, not Ive the amazing man behind the iconic design and interface of Apple’s most successful products.