Apple designers Ive, Newson talk Apple Watch at Conde Nast International Luxury Conference
Apple designers Jony Ive and Marc Newson helped inaugurate the first annual Conde Nast International Luxury Conference on Wednesday, speaking with Vogue editor Suzy Menkes about the Apple Watch and their work philosophies.
The Watch is the first Apple product designed explicitly for the luxury market, and when asked to define the company's approach to luxury, Ive commented that Apple doesn't "look at the world through predetermined market opportunities," according to Vogue. Instead, the designer said he tries to invest care in developing products.
"It's not so much about things being touched personally -- there are many ways to craft something," Ive said. "It's easy to assume that just because you make something in small volumes, not using many tools, that there is integrity and care -- that is a false assumption."
Newson also defended the company's design and mass manufacturing process, comparing its machines to a craftsman's tools. "We all use something -- you can't drill holes with your fingers," he remarked.
On comparing Apple's version of luxury with the old, Ive insisted that Apple doesn't think in those terms, but instead focuses only on creating a useful product.
"When we started on the iPhone it was because we all couldn't bear our phones. The watch was different," he said. "We all loved our watches, but saw that the wrist was a fabulous place for technology, so there were different motivations. I don't know how we can compare the old watches we know, with the functionality and the capability of the Apple Watch."
Ive further observed that through the iPhone, Apple learned that there are "fundamental things" people use all of the time, but for different reasons. The Watch is the first product Apple can assume is "intimiately connected" with a person most of the day, opening up new avenues of communication.
Newson attemted to bolster his and Ive's credentials by bringing up their backgrounds in silversmithing. "We're not just designing in our heads and then on a computer. We both have the ability to understand certain materials; we come from a standpoint of being taught manually," he said.
Asked if traditional luxury companies should be worried about Apple and the Watch, Ive lastly claimed that since the 1970s Apple has been working to make technology "relevant and personal," and that he's not sure of the potential consequences.
"Sadly so much of our manufactured environment testifies to carelessness -- something that was built to a price point or a schedule. The products that we have developed describe who made them. I hope that people will like the watch and find it a beautiful item," he concluded.
The Watch ships on April 24. Apple has been using interviews with executives as one of its main marketing tools, alongside things like magazine spreads and celebrity product placements.
The Watch is the first Apple product designed explicitly for the luxury market, and when asked to define the company's approach to luxury, Ive commented that Apple doesn't "look at the world through predetermined market opportunities," according to Vogue. Instead, the designer said he tries to invest care in developing products.
"It's not so much about things being touched personally -- there are many ways to craft something," Ive said. "It's easy to assume that just because you make something in small volumes, not using many tools, that there is integrity and care -- that is a false assumption."
Newson also defended the company's design and mass manufacturing process, comparing its machines to a craftsman's tools. "We all use something -- you can't drill holes with your fingers," he remarked.
On comparing Apple's version of luxury with the old, Ive insisted that Apple doesn't think in those terms, but instead focuses only on creating a useful product.
"When we started on the iPhone it was because we all couldn't bear our phones. The watch was different," he said. "We all loved our watches, but saw that the wrist was a fabulous place for technology, so there were different motivations. I don't know how we can compare the old watches we know, with the functionality and the capability of the Apple Watch."
Ive further observed that through the iPhone, Apple learned that there are "fundamental things" people use all of the time, but for different reasons. The Watch is the first product Apple can assume is "intimiately connected" with a person most of the day, opening up new avenues of communication.
Newson attemted to bolster his and Ive's credentials by bringing up their backgrounds in silversmithing. "We're not just designing in our heads and then on a computer. We both have the ability to understand certain materials; we come from a standpoint of being taught manually," he said.
Asked if traditional luxury companies should be worried about Apple and the Watch, Ive lastly claimed that since the 1970s Apple has been working to make technology "relevant and personal," and that he's not sure of the potential consequences.
"Sadly so much of our manufactured environment testifies to carelessness -- something that was built to a price point or a schedule. The products that we have developed describe who made them. I hope that people will like the watch and find it a beautiful item," he concluded.
The Watch ships on April 24. Apple has been using interviews with executives as one of its main marketing tools, alongside things like magazine spreads and celebrity product placements.
Comments
I guess he didn't want to poke fun at the Swiss in public.
CNBC was all over that Angela Ahrendts employee video this morning. Pretty sad when CNBC has basically turned into Buzzfeed.
Bzzzt! Wrong! The Watch is very much an egalitarian product. The Edition is the product designed specifically for the luxury market. Come on, AppleInsider; you're better than this.
Trolling opportunities below. And...go!
CNBC was all over that Angela Ahrendts employee video this morning. Pretty sad when CNBC has basically turned into Buzzfeed.
They're owned by Comcast. What do you expect?
Btw, according to MacRumors. some posters who had 4-6 week or June shipping estimates are now seeing their status changed to 'preparing for shipment'. What will the haters say if we find out Apple was just being really conservative with shipping and lots of people get their watches sooner than originally expected? What will they have to hate on then?
Stop pouting.
There's no 'hating' when some people reasonably pointed out that some of the celebrity speciality give-aways were a bit puzzling and perhaps even unnecessary, and that the Watch rollout process -- between the online and in-store pieces -- has been suboptimal for many, even more so than has been seen in the past with Apple's new product intros.
It's just an opinion, mostly expressed (as I saw it) in the threads on AI by people who love Apple products, and have a great deal of respect for the company and its people.
If you can't stomach the slightest hint of criticism, that may be more your issue than that of the people doing the critiquing.
I guess he didn't want to poke fun at the Swiss in public.
Some carefully chosen words, for sure. I think Apple gains some credibility by not trashing the Swiss on their antiquated technology but instead by aligning what Apple is doing on the design, materials, and workmanship with the quality exhibited in the fine watches Ive and Newson admit they have always loved. Then address the technology where there is actually someone trying to apply it, to show that Apple does them one better. Smart guys.
Stop pouting.
There's no 'hating' when some people reasonably pointed out that some of the celebrity speciality give-aways were a bit puzzling and perhaps even unnecessary, and that the Watch rollout process -- between the online and in-store pieces -- has been suboptimal for many, even more so than has been seen in the past with Apple's new product intros.
It's just an opinion, mostly expressed (as I saw it) in the threads on AI by people who love Apple products, and have a great deal of respect for the company and its people.
If you can't stomach the slightest hint of criticism, that may be more your issue than that of the people doing the critiquing.
We're all for well-placed criticism, but it seems the critics of Apple's rollout have never heard of people putting down money on a condo pre-construction. It's common to get something (in this case the right to be first in line) when you're asked to give up something or take a risk (in this case the risk that the Watch you ordered without a try-on might not be the one you want, in which case you'd have to return it and drop to the back of an ever-growing line). I heard plenty of criticism from those who wanted others to wait so that they could get a week of try-on time before anyone would be allowed to order, but I can't say I heard any reasonable or well=placed criticism.
I'm still unclear as to what she is supposedly did wrong, other than being held responsible for dissatisfaction for not being able to buy the Watch and MacBook at retail yet. If anything, Apple hasn't done enough to get the word out in their PR about what customers should do if they want to buy either product (order online). For that, I blame Phil Schiller.
It's "proof" that people have cancelled their preorders after trying on a watch in the store and realizing (insert favorite criticism here). /s
Btw, according to MacRumors. some posters who had 4-6 week or June shipping estimates are now seeing their status changed to 'preparing for shipment'. What will the haters say if we find out Apple was just being really conservative with shipping and lots of people get their watches sooner than originally expected? What will they have to hate on then?
I'm guessing Apple pulled products that were suppose to go to stores later (or already allocated to the second wave launch), and shipped them instead while they ramped production using the pre-order parameters (gives them a bit of a buffer). Some items though like the link, and the top end leather straps may still be constrained regardless (which seems to be the case).