In a recent move, Tang Tan, Apple’s Vice President (VP) of Product Design, is set to leave the tech giant to join Jony Ive’s design firm, LoveFrom. Tan, who currently heads the design teams for iPhone and Apple Watch, is making a move to collaborate with Ive and Sam Altman on an ambitious project. In this article, let’s dive into more about Tang Tan and his move to leave the tech giant Apple.
Apple’s VP of Product Design: Tang Tan
LoveFrom’s Growing Hype
LoveFrom, founded by Jony Ive in 2019 after his departure from Apple, has become a magnet for Apple’s design talent. With Tan’s departure, a total of 14 members from Ive’s former design team have now joined LoveFrom. Bloomberg reports that Ive’s work with OpenAI represents one of his “most ambitious efforts” since leaving Apple, with aspirations to turn it into a new company, currently focused on talent acquisition and concept creation.
Tan’s Role in OpenAI’s Project
Tang Tan will assume a crucial role in LoveFrom’s collaboration with OpenAI, leading the hardware engineering aspect of the project. While specifics about OpenAI’s hardware ambitions are not fully disclosed, there are indications that the concept stage includes devices designed for home use.
Apple’s Designers Are Fleeing
Tan’s departure marks another instance of Apple losing a key designer to LoveFrom, bringing the total to over 20 former Apple employees who have joined Ive’s new design venture. Notably, Ive’s departure has seen a significant shift in Apple’s design landscape, with only a handful of designers who once reported to Ive still remaining at the company. Earlier, two of the lead designers left Apple to start the now-in-hype Humane Ai Pin.
As Apple’s VP of Product Design, Tan played a central role in shaping the design and features of devices like the iPhone 15 Pro and Watch Series 9 – products that contribute over $383 billion annually to Apple’s revenue. His departure in February will leave a notable gap in Apple’s design team.
Collaboration and Future Prospects
The collaboration between LoveFrom, OpenAI, and Tang Tan aims to create what they envision as “the iPhone of artificial intelligence.” Though the project is still in its early stages, with Tan leading hardware engineering and OpenAI providing the software foundation, early designs and concepts are reportedly in development.
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Since leaving Apple, Jony Ive’s LoveFrom has undertaken projects for notable brands such as Airbnb, Ferrari, and Moncler. The purported AI-focused device, often referred to as the Ai-Phone, represents LoveFrom’s foray into a market where Apple currently holds a leading position.
- Meanwhile, check out our video review of the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic:
