In a report from Bloomberg and confirmed in a statement by Apple spokeswoman Amy Bessette, Ive will be resume day-to-day management of Apple’s design team. “With the completion of Apple Park, Apple’s design leaders and teams are again reporting directly to Jony Ive, who remains focused purely on design.”
Of course Apple has more than one designer working for them, and during Ive’s “absence”, the hardware and software design teams were led by Alan Dye and Richard Howarth who reported directly to Apple’s CEO Tim Cook, but Ive’s return will see him take control of the teams, although it was not reported as to what Dye and Howarth’s roles are now that Ive is back in control.
We’re not sure what this could mean for the future of Apple-designed products, but The Verge has noted that in Ive’s absence, Apple has released products with somewhat questionable design quirks. Hopefully with Ive’s return, he will be able to right the ship like he did back in the day, where his design of Apple’s iconic products are said to have played a vital role in revitalizing the company back when they were brink of bankruptcy.