Abstract:
Apple CEO John Ternus recently said in an interview with Time magazine that the core criterion for Apple to judge the quality of design has always been user experience. Whether it’s adding practical features or adding details that are purely for pleasure, the ultimate goal is to make the product better to use and more enjoyable.
In the interview video, Ternus was asked how Apple differentiates between truly valuable design and design that is just eye-catching. He said that Apple teams will jointly evaluate which ideas can actually improve the product experience, and those ideas that are flashy and distract users are usually eliminated. That doesn't mean the product has to be completely serious, though.
As an example, Ternus mentioned the animation effect that appears when the new iPhone Duo expands the inner screen. He admitted that this design does not have actual functions, but it can allow users to gain more fun and satisfaction during use. He believes that sometimes products need to retain a little "fun" to make the experience more humane.
Ternus also talked about a feature called Kids Cue. This feature will display Snoopy and other "Peanuts" characters on the iPhone Duo's external screen to attract children's attention and help parents get their children to look at the camera when taking photos. He said that developing a new form of iPhone also provides the Apple team with the opportunity to explore new ideas, many of which are made possible based on the new hardware form.
When talking about his involvement in design as CEO, Ternus said that he has a mechanical engineering background and that the product design team has long worked closely with the industrial design team. Since joining Apple, he has worked side by side with industrial designers. He believes that the most special thing about Apple is that design has always been at the core of the company.
Ternus said that at Apple, designers not only understand the design itself, but also have a deep understanding of engineering technology; at the same time, engineers also have a high respect for design. This two-way understanding creates a strong culture of collaboration. Design does not mean that designers complete sketches and then hand them over to the engineering team for implementation. Rather, from the beginning of the project, the design and engineering teams participate in product development together.
In the field of artificial intelligence, Ternus also emphasized the same concept. He believes that AI provides huge opportunities to improve existing products and create new experiences, but users should not have to understand the AI technology behind it to feel the value of the functionality. Apple is paying more attention to using AI to create personalized experiences for users and combining personal information in the device to provide services that are more relevant to needs.
This statement also echoes previous reports about Ternus’ leadership style. Since becoming Apple's CEO in September this year, he has listed product design as one of his key tasks and frequently visits Apple's design studio to maintain close communication with the industrial design and human-computer interface teams.
At the end of the interview, when asked what characteristics of Apple he most hopes to retain after becoming CEO, Ternus said that products and technologies will continue to change in the future, and the emergence of new technologies will continue to promote innovation, but Apple's way of working should not change. He emphasized that design has always been an important part of Apple's culture, and the model of deep integration between design and engineering to co-create products will continue to be the foundation of Apple's development.
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