Apple's industrial-design team is the stuff of Silicon Valley legend. Led by stylish Brit Jony Ive, they craft hundreds of prototypes of future Apple devices and cover them in cloth and secrecy. Employees rarely leave the team.
But Danny Coster, a longtime designer who is listed on Apple patents going back to 1995, has jumped ship to become the VP of design at GoPro, according to a report in The Information published on Wednesday. He's going to report directly to GoPro CEO Nick Woodman.
The Information report confirms that Ive's title change last summer to chief design officer did, in fact, change his responsibilities. Jessica Lessin reports that "the team dynamic has shifted under the new leaders," Richard Howarth and Alan Dye, and Ive has stepped back from a day-to-day role.
At the launch of the iPhone SE last month, Ive kept a low profile and did not participate in any on-stage videos or demonstrations, a notable shift from previous Apple-product keynotes. Ive has also spent more time in his native England recently.
In an interview with Charlie Rose recorded last fall, Ive spoke about how he hires people for his close-knit team: He looks for people who share his worldview. With him spending more time out of the building, it's not surprising that some of his talented subordinates might be looking for the door.
