“Design is how it works” rings true at Apple today, and John Ternus wants to assure everyone that respect for the user and creating beneficial products are “job one.”
John Ternus may be Apple’s new CEO, but he won’t let his new role stop his passion for industrial design. In a previous interview he pointed out that Apple has been working on the iPhone Duo for over 15 years.
A video version of that interview with Time was shared Tuesday with more conversations about the importance of design at Apple. Ternus begins by sharing his ongoing role as involved in industrial design.
John Ternus joined Apple 25 years ago as a member of the product engineering team. His background in mechanical engineering placed him close to the industrial design team.
“I think what’s unique about this place is that design is at the center,” Ternus shared. “Our designers, both on the software and hardware side, really understand engineering. And the engineers have a deep appreciation for design.”
“It’s a really powerful collaboration,” he concluded.
The conversation touched on similar topics in the previously published article, such as child safety, screen time and Ternus’ love of driving fast cars. It was all about the iPhone Duo announcement and it represented Apple’s ability to provide something useful while being quirky.
“I think the opportunities in products will change,” Ternus said in response to a question about Apple’s future emphasis on design. “It will evolve as new technologies come along, but the way we work: I don’t want it to change.”
Notably, Apple missed most of the AI race by not developing its own frontier model. Apple executives have shared that the company doesn’t need to develop everything, nor appeal to a “crazy fringe.”
“Design has always been at the heart of this company, and I think our respect for the user and making products that are useful and beneficial to people – that’s our job,” Ternus concluded. “We will continue this.”
Apple is shipping the iPhone Duo to lucky customers who managed to pre-order one for release on October 23rd. The device has reportedly seen “extraordinary demand” and new orders won’t ship until the end of January 2027.
