Veteran designer Christopher Stringer leaves Apple after 21 years

Posted:
in iPhone
One of Apple's most prominent industrial designers, Christopher Stringer, is said to be leaving after spending 21 years with the company.




Whether Stringer is retiring or heading to another firm wasn't mentioned in a Monday report by The Information. Departures from the Apple design team are said to be rare however, as inside the company, the group allegedly has a reputation for corporate loyalty.

While at Apple, Stringer had a hand in designing a wide variety of iconic products, including the original iPhone and iPad. Indeed, in the course of an Apple court battle with Samsung over iPhone patents, Stringer took to the stand, presenting dozens of pictures of prototypes and physical models.

Apple's design staff has changed considerably since 2015, when its most famous designer -- Jonathan Ive -- was promoted to chief design officer, putting him in a more hands-off role. Richard Howarth stepped in to fill Ive's old position, while Alan Dye became head of user interface design.

A year ago, another veteran designer, Danny Coster, left Apple to join action camera maker GoPro. Coster had been with Apple for about 23 years, even working with Ive on the original iMac.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    I think what was a dumb move was leaving Apple to go to GoPro.  A market that really have no place to go.

    StrangeDaysretrogustoanton zuykov
  • Reply 2 of 21
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    sog35 said:
    Good News IMO.

    The current design team has been stale and the designs lack luster.

    Look at the iPhone7. Lackluster. Massive bezels. Ugh.

    The Watch is a decent design. But nothing that says elite and classy. IMO the non-symetrical design of the digital crown is ugly. Should be 4 or 2 symetrical buttons instead.

    The Airpods are not what you would call beautiful design. iPad has been unchanged for 3 years. AppleTV is ugh, and the remote is HORRIBLE. Apple Pencil is nice but charging it in the iPad lightning jack? Or charging the Magic Mouse on its back?

    Seriously WTF.  Design the last 3 years has been terrible to say the least.

    IMO, the only nice design was the Macbook and Macbook Pro.  

    Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks.
    This is such bullshit. The iPhone 7 didn't retain bezels because Jony Ive's design team is out of ideas. There's a fuck ton of engineering that goes into a decision like that, especially with something like the home button which you don't just throw away because the tech press decided smaller bezels are the in thing. The Magic Mouse isn't supposed to be plugged in while using it. A 2 hour charge lasts over a month. Charge the thing while you're asleep and don't worry about it. And in the time it takes to make a cup of coffee you can have it charged for a whole day. A complete non-issue imo. Same with the Apple Pencil. It comes with a charging adapter. Charging it via the iPad is for when you need a quick top off and as an iPad Pro and Pencil owner I love that I can just stick it in the lightening port when I need a quick charge.
    anomeStrangeDaysanton zuykovRayz2016propodpte applelongpathpatchythepirate
  • Reply 3 of 21
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member

    jsmythe00 said:
    sog35 said:
    Good News IMO.

    The current design team has been stale and the designs lack luster.

    Look at the iPhone7. Lackluster. Massive bezels. Ugh.

    The Watch is a decent design. But nothing that says elite and classy. IMO the non-symetrical design of the digital crown is ugly. Should be 4 or 2 symetrical buttons instead.

    The Airpods are not what you would call beautiful design. iPad has been unchanged for 3 years. AppleTV is ugh, and the remote is HORRIBLE. Apple Pencil is nice but charging it in the iPad lightning jack? Or charging the Magic Mouse on its back?

    Seriously WTF.  Design the last 3 years has been terrible to say the least.

    IMO, the only nice design was the Macbook and Macbook Pro.  

    Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks.
    IDK. It's good to see some rotation but some of their products you mentioned are. The airpods. Put them in any other color than white and they're a fashionable 

    Watch is NICE. Design and functionality with WOS3

    my concern is it rats leaving a sinking ship or folks just feel like moving on. 
    Well he was there for 21 years. That's a long time for anyone to stay at one company. And I have yet to see why he's leaving so it could be he's ready to retire (I'm sure he's become quite wealthy all those years at Apple) or do something else. Doesn't have to signal doom for Apple.
    dysamoria
  • Reply 4 of 21
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    jbdragon said:
    I think what was a dumb move was leaving Apple to go to GoPro.  A market that really have no place to go.

     If Jobs were still here and cared, he might've said "do you want to sell porn cameras or do you want to change the world?" 
    watto_cobrapte apple
  • Reply 5 of 21
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    sog35 said:
    Good News IMO.

    The current design team has been stale and the designs lack luster.

    Look at the iPhone7. Lackluster. Massive bezels. Ugh.

    The Watch is a decent design. But nothing that says elite and classy. IMO the non-symetrical design of the digital crown is ugly. Should be 4 or 2 symetrical buttons instead.

    The Airpods are not what you would call beautiful design. iPad has been unchanged for 3 years. AppleTV is ugh, and the remote is HORRIBLE. Apple Pencil is nice but charging it in the iPad lightning jack? Or charging the Magic Mouse on its back?

    Seriously WTF.  Design the last 3 years has been terrible to say the least.

    IMO, the only nice design was the Macbook and Macbook Pro.  

    Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks.
    Don't quit your day job. 
    fastasleepdysamoriaanton zuykovpscooter63longpath
  • Reply 6 of 21
    anomeanome Posts: 1,533member

    jsmythe00 said:
    sog35 said:
    Good News IMO.

    The current design team has been stale and the designs lack luster.

    Look at the iPhone7. Lackluster. Massive bezels. Ugh.

    The Watch is a decent design. But nothing that says elite and classy. IMO the non-symetrical design of the digital crown is ugly. Should be 4 or 2 symetrical buttons instead.

    The Airpods are not what you would call beautiful design. iPad has been unchanged for 3 years. AppleTV is ugh, and the remote is HORRIBLE. Apple Pencil is nice but charging it in the iPad lightning jack? Or charging the Magic Mouse on its back?

    Seriously WTF.  Design the last 3 years has been terrible to say the least.

    IMO, the only nice design was the Macbook and Macbook Pro.  

    Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks.
    IDK. It's good to see some rotation but some of their products you mentioned are. The airpods. Put them in any other color than white and they're a fashionable 

    Watch is NICE. Design and functionality with WOS3

    my concern is it rats leaving a sinking ship or folks just feel like moving on. 
    Well he was there for 21 years. That's a long time for anyone to stay at one company. And I have yet to see why he's leaving so it could be he's ready to retire (I'm sure he's become quite wealthy all those years at Apple) or do something else. Doesn't have to signal doom for Apple.
    21 years is a long time to stay anywhere. (Wait a minute, I've been with my current employer for 26 years. Damn!) A lot of the senior people who were hired around the time of the NeXT buyout and Steve's return are reaching 20+ years at Apple. Some of them might quite reasonably be looking for new challenges, while others might want to spend more time with their money...er...families. It's not a sign that the company is in trouble, more a sign that it's been a generation since many of these people started with the company.
    StrangeDaysdysamoriapscooter63
  • Reply 7 of 21
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member

    jsmythe00 said:
    sog35 said:
    Good News IMO.

    The current design team has been stale and the designs lack luster.

    Look at the iPhone7. Lackluster. Massive bezels. Ugh.

    The Watch is a decent design. But nothing that says elite and classy. IMO the non-symetrical design of the digital crown is ugly. Should be 4 or 2 symetrical buttons instead.

    The Airpods are not what you would call beautiful design. iPad has been unchanged for 3 years. AppleTV is ugh, and the remote is HORRIBLE. Apple Pencil is nice but charging it in the iPad lightning jack? Or charging the Magic Mouse on its back?

    Seriously WTF.  Design the last 3 years has been terrible to say the least.

    IMO, the only nice design was the Macbook and Macbook Pro.  

    Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks.

    my concern is it rats leaving a sinking ship or folks just feel like moving on. 
    There would have to be a sinking ship for that to be the case. Apple is not sinking, despite all the constant "concern". 

    People move on to different things. Over two decades at the same job? The only surprising thing is staying that long, it's certainly not the norm. Good for him, but I'd imagine he'd like to change it up and more power to him. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 21
    FatmanFatman Posts: 513member
    I agree with most of what Sog says. New blood will (hopefully) be good for Apple. I agree there have been missteps, lack of symmetry, not following their own human interface guidelines, playing it safe. My biggest gripes - the Apple TV remote just plain sucks, and the Apple Watch needs a design that will make Rolex nervous. The majority of Apple's designs are fantastic (IMO the current iMac is the greatest desktop ever made) - let's hope for more winners and learning from some of the duds.
  • Reply 9 of 21
    sog35 said:
    Good News IMO.

    The current design team has been stale and the designs lack luster.

    Look at the iPhone7. Lackluster. Massive bezels. Ugh.

    The Watch is a decent design. But nothing that says elite and classy. IMO the non-symetrical design of the digital crown is ugly. Should be 4 or 2 symetrical buttons instead.

    The Airpods are not what you would call beautiful design. iPad has been unchanged for 3 years. AppleTV is ugh, and the remote is HORRIBLE. Apple Pencil is nice but charging it in the iPad lightning jack? Or charging the Magic Mouse on its back?

    Seriously WTF.  Design the last 3 years has been terrible to say the least.

    IMO, the only nice design was the Macbook and Macbook Pro.  

    Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks.
    How they have dared not to hire you with such extensive, and undoubtedly, mad skillz is the real mystery.
    Rayz2016watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 21
    sog35 said:
    Good News IMO.

    The current design team has been stale and the designs lack luster.

    Look at the iPhone7. Lackluster. Massive bezels. Ugh.

    The Watch is a decent design. But nothing that says elite and classy. IMO the non-symetrical design of the digital crown is ugly. Should be 4 or 2 symetrical buttons instead.

    The Airpods are not what you would call beautiful design. iPad has been unchanged for 3 years. AppleTV is ugh, and the remote is HORRIBLE. Apple Pencil is nice but charging it in the iPad lightning jack? Or charging the Magic Mouse on its back?

    Seriously WTF.  Design the last 3 years has been terrible to say the least.

    IMO, the only nice design was the Macbook and Macbook Pro.  

    Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks.
    Maybe Apple should hire you.  
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 21
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Fatman said:
    I agree with most of what Sog says. New blood will (hopefully) be good for Apple. I agree there have been missteps, lack of symmetry, not following their own human interface guidelines, playing it safe. My biggest gripes - the Apple TV remote just plain sucks, and the Apple Watch needs a design that will make Rolex nervous. The majority of Apple's designs are fantastic (IMO the current iMac is the greatest desktop ever made) - let's hope for more winners and learning from some of the duds.
    Apple design is approved at the top levels, not just by replacing lower level designers. Until Jony Ive decides he's had enough, Apple industrial design will stay pretty much the same.
  • Reply 12 of 21
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    jbdragon said:
    I think what was a dumb move was leaving Apple to go to GoPro.  A market that really have no place to go.

    GoPro did try a new market but unfortunately, it fell from the sky. 
  • Reply 13 of 21
    kevin keekevin kee Posts: 1,289member
    I think it's fair to say that people have right to choose what he want to do in the next stage of their live, whether trying something new or gardening with retirement $$$ at the bank.

    Regarding Apple design, at least Apple put some (or over) thoughts on theirs unlike Samsung who just do whatever they like to do (reminds me of a toddler). "I want bezel-less screen, here, slap the ID button at the back, or it looks better if the camera lens is next to it never mind all the accidental smudges. What else, let's cram as many half-baked features and specs here, never mind if they don't contribute to user experience or even working properly as long as we can say we do it first."

    I would be disappointed if Apple adopt such a terrible design approach.
    edited April 2017 dysamoria
  • Reply 14 of 21
    sog35 said:
    Good News IMO.

    The current design team has been stale and the designs lack luster.

    Look at the iPhone7. Lackluster. Massive bezels. Ugh.

    The Watch is a decent design. But nothing that says elite and classy. IMO the non-symetrical design of the digital crown is ugly. Should be 4 or 2 symetrical buttons instead.

    The Airpods are not what you would call beautiful design. iPad has been unchanged for 3 years. AppleTV is ugh, and the remote is HORRIBLE. Apple Pencil is nice but charging it in the iPad lightning jack? Or charging the Magic Mouse on its back?

    Seriously WTF.  Design the last 3 years has been terrible to say the least.

    IMO, the only nice design was the Macbook and Macbook Pro.  

    Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks.
    Why have you not left  AI as you promised you would for getting the share price of Apple completely wrong. YOu HAVE ZERO CREDIBILITY HERE. Your "posts" are so full of nastiness and vitriol towards Appl and yet the company goes from strength to strength , your posts are like the ads on Yahoo predicting the next stock market crash, I suppose you might be correct at some point , in about 190 years. 
    edited April 2017 propod
  • Reply 15 of 21
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,258member
    I will only be concerned by this news if he shows up at Tesla. 
  • Reply 16 of 21
    sog35 said:
    Good News IMO.

    The current design team has been stale and the designs lack luster.

    Look at the iPhone7. Lackluster. Massive bezels. Ugh.

    The Watch is a decent design. But nothing that says elite and classy. IMO the non-symetrical design of the digital crown is ugly. Should be 4 or 2 symetrical buttons instead.

    The Airpods are not what you would call beautiful design. iPad has been unchanged for 3 years. AppleTV is ugh, and the remote is HORRIBLE. Apple Pencil is nice but charging it in the iPad lightning jack? Or charging the Magic Mouse on its back?

    Seriously WTF.  Design the last 3 years has been terrible to say the least.

    IMO, the only nice design was the Macbook and Macbook Pro.  

    Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks.
    This from the guy that flunked Kindergarten fingerprint class.
  • Reply 17 of 21
    sog35 said:
    Good News IMO.

    The current design team has been stale and the designs lack luster.

    Look at the iPhone7. Lackluster. Massive bezels. Ugh.

    The Watch is a decent design. But nothing that says elite and classy. IMO the non-symetrical design of the digital crown is ugly. Should be 4 or 2 symetrical buttons instead.

    The Airpods are not what you would call beautiful design. iPad has been unchanged for 3 years. AppleTV is ugh, and the remote is HORRIBLE. Apple Pencil is nice but charging it in the iPad lightning jack? Or charging the Magic Mouse on its back?

    Seriously WTF.  Design the last 3 years has been terrible to say the least.

    IMO, the only nice design was the Macbook and Macbook Pro.  

    Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks.
    This from the guy that flunked Kindergarten fingerprint class.
    Sog can't write basic grammar either:

    "Regardless its pretty obvious Apple needs to new blood in the design team that is hungry and willing to take risks"

    use of  "pretty obvious"  it is either obvious or it is not. There is no degree of obvious.

    "that is hungry" - should be "whom are hungry",  design team is plural i.e: persons not things!





    edited April 2017 radarthekat
  • Reply 18 of 21
    xzuxzu Posts: 139member
    Could have been working on the Mac Pro design team and just got bored doing nothing for 3 years.
    retrogusto
  • Reply 19 of 21
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member
    Happy Trails!
    And thanks for helping to make some of the most beautiful shit I've ever owned...
    radarthekatwatto_cobrapatchythepirate
  • Reply 20 of 21
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Mods... my blocking a certain holier-than-thou, whining, ignorant AI member like Sog35 is simply not enough, especially when everyone else responds to his rants... What's the difficult in finished up this "ignore" function by removing the posts that has his name in it?  Even if it's half-baked by removing his crap, but keeping the responses intact is better than what it is now.

    Sog is simply a cancer in this forum.  He's the reason many have simply stopped posting and moved on.  Get with it.  Are web-clicks more important?
    pscooter63
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