Apple promotes Jony Ive to chief design officer

PanARMENIAN.Net - Apple has promoted British designer Jony Ive to the role of chief design officer at the world's most valuable company, according to BBC News.

Sir Jonathan previously held the role of senior vice president of design and helped design of some of the tech giant's most popular gadgets. He was knighted in 2012 for his services to design.

The move was first revealed in an interview with Sir Jonathan in the Telegraph.

In an internal memo to employees, published later by tech blog 9to5Mac, chief executive Tim Cook said Sir Jonathan's newly created role would now expand beyond its devices and into designing the company's retail stores, new California campus and even office furniture.

Apple is in the middle of building a new campus, also known as "spaceship" for its circular shape that will house about 12,000 workers.

"In this new role, he will focus entirely on current design projects, new ideas and future initiatives," Cook said in the memo. "Jony is one of the most talented and accomplished designers of his generation, with an astonishing 5,000 design and utility patents to his name."

Sir Jonathan has helped design products like the iPod, iPhone, iPad and smartwatch over the last couple of decades.

There were reports earlier this year that Apple was working on a car and he could be behind its design.

He will start the new role in July and team member Richard Howarth will take over as the new head of industrial design at Apple.