Apple's Design Revolution: Why Top Creators Are Thrilled About the New Leadership Era

Responses to Alan Dye’s departure from Apple keep coming in, and the latest from an acclaimed long-time Apple designer bodes extremely well for the new design era under Steve Lemay.

Apple Designer Responsible for iPhone X Gestural UI, Dynamic Island Is a Big Fan of Steve Lemay

Bloomberg reported earlier this week that Alan Dye, Apple’s VP of Human Interface Design, was leaving the company for a new role at Meta.

News of Dye’s departure came shortly after another high-level Apple shakeup: AI head John Giannandrea’s retirement from the company. And yesterday Apple announced that Katherine Adams and Lisa Jackson would be departing soon too.

But the response to Dye’s move has stirred the most conversation. And according to some, it’s actually a very exciting development.

John Gruber wrote that sources he’s spoken to inside Apple have all been “happy — if not downright giddy — at the news that Steve Lemay is replacing Dye.”

Now, one highly esteemed designer inside Apple has spoken out publicly.

In a post on X last night, current Apple designer Chan Karunamuni wrote that he “could not be more excited” for the new design era under Lemay.

Karunamuni’s History with Apple Bodes Well for What’s Ahead

It’s encouraging that someone who has had Lemay as their manager for the last 15 years is so excited by this change.

But what makes Karunamuni’s endorsement even more significant is his own track record of design work at Apple.

Browsing the designer’s website and past social posts reveals that he has been responsible for, at least in part:

• iPhone X’s gestural UI
• the Dynamic Island
• iOS 18’s Flashlight
• and some of Liquid Glass’s best attributes

This is, in my opinion, some of the best design work done for the iPhone and iOS of late.

The Dynamic Island and iPhone X gestures are two standout designs that I remember being so wowed by the first time I tried them. Karunamuni being so excited for Apple’s new design era makes me thrilled for it too.

How are you feeling about the recent Apple design team shakeups? Let us know in the comments.