Leading Apple Designer Abidur Chowdhury Leaves Company for AI Startup
Abidur Chowdhury, a renowned industrial designer at Apple and a key figure in the creation of the iPhone Air, has left the company to join a mysterious startup working in the field of artificial intelligence.
Abidur Chowdhury, who began his career at Apple about six years ago after the departure of famed designer Jony Ive, has recently decided to move on to new challenges in the AI field. His decision to leave Apple is not related to the debut of the iPhone Air, whose design he presented during the September event. Although the phone received positive reviews, its sales remained at a moderate level.
Chowdhury’s departure is part of a broader restructuring of Apple’s design team, which has been ongoing since Ive’s exit. Many designers have already left the company, leading to significant changes in the team composition in favor of new and young professionals.
Changes in the team are occurring amidst other personnel changes in leadership. Jeff Williams, a longtime chief operating officer who oversaw the design team, left Apple last week. After his departure, the design teams will report directly to CEO Tim Cook.
| Event | Date | Impact on the company |
|---|---|---|
| Abidur Chowdhury’s departure | October 2023 | Part of the design team restructuring |
| Jeff Williams’ departure | July 2023 | Design teams report directly to Tim Cook |
