Home / Technology / Apple Designer Exits Amid iPhone Air Struggles and Delayed Launch
Apple Designer Exits Amid iPhone Air Struggles and Delayed Launch
18 Nov
Summary
- Apple industrial designer Abidur Chowdhury, who played a key role in iPhone Air development, has left the company for an AI startup.
- The iPhone Air has seen underwhelming sales, leading to a delay in the launch of the next model until 2027.
- Chowdhury's departure is unrelated to the iPhone Air's performance, according to Apple insider Mark Gurman.
In a surprising move, Apple industrial designer Abidur Chowdhury, who played a key role in the development of the iPhone Air, has departed the company to join an AI startup. This news comes as the iPhone Air has faced underwhelming sales, leading Apple to delay the launch of the next model until 2027.
According to reports, Chowdhury's exit has "made waves internally" due to his rising profile within Apple's design team. The departure comes around the same time as the departure of celebrity chief design officer Jony Ive, a period that coincided with Apple's attempts to recover from the "slow-motion meltdown" that ensued when Ive seemingly lost faith in the company.
Despite the challenges faced by the iPhone Air, Apple insider Mark Gurman has stated that Chowdhury's exit is "unrelated to the debut of the phone, which has seen its design praised despite underwhelming sales." The iPhone Air is still expected to receive a second model, but not until 2027, indicating that Apple is taking a cautious approach to the device's future.
