Apple CEO John Ternus says improving the user's experience guides the company's design decisions, whether that means adding practical features or an animation that simply makes a device more enjoyable to use. TIME published an interview with Ternus last week and released the video version on Tuesday, with additional discussion about design.
In the video, Ternus was asked how Apple distinguishes a design choice that contributes to a product from one that merely attracts attention. He said teams work together to determine what will make a product better for its users, ruling out ideas that are frivolous or distracting. That approach still leaves room for playful details. Ternus pointed to the animation that appears when opening the iPhone Duo's inner display, explaining that it serves no functional purpose but can make the experience more satisfying. "Sometimes you just want a little whimsy," he said.
Ternus also discussed Kids Cue, which displays Peanuts characters such as Snoopy on the iPhone Duo's outer screen to draw a child's attention toward the camera during a photo. He said developing a different kind of iPhone gave Apple's teams an opportunity to explore ideas made possible by the new hardware. Asked how involved he remains with design, Ternus said he is a mechanical engineer by background and has worked hand in hand with industrial designers since he started at Apple. He called design central to the company, saying designers on both the software and hardware sides understand engineering, and engineers deeply appreciate design.
The same focus on the experience informs Apple's approach to AI. Ternus said the technology creates opportunities to improve existing products and develop new ones, but users should be able to appreciate a feature without needing to understand that AI makes it possible. He identified personalized experiences, supported by access to information on the user's phone, as a particular focus. The comments follow a report that Ternus has made product design a major priority since becoming CEO in September, visiting Apple's design studio several times a week. Asked what he wants to preserve, he said the products will evolve with new technologies, but "the way we work, I don't want that to change."
Source: MacRumors · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing