“Design is how it works” rings true at Apple today, and John Ternus wants to assure everyone that respecting the user and creating beneficial products is “job number one.”
John Ternus may be Apple’s new CEO, but he’s not letting his new role interrupt his passion for industrial design. He pointed out that Apple has been working on the iPhone Duo for over 15 years in a previous interview.
A video version of this interview with Time was shared Tuesday with more conversations about the importance of design at Apple. Ternus begins by sharing its ongoing role of involvement in industrial design.
John Ternus joined Apple 25 years ago as a member of the product design team. His training in mechanical engineering places him close to the industrial design team.
“I think what’s so special about this place is that the design is at the center,” Ternus explained. “Our designers, both on the software and hardware side, really understand engineering. And engineers have a deep appreciation for design.”
“It’s a really powerful collaboration,” he concluded.
The conversation covered similar topics in the previous published article, such as child safety, screen time, and Ternus’ love of driving fast cars. Everything was centered around the announcement of the iPhone Duo and it represented Apple’s ability to deliver something useful while still being fancy.
“I think the opportunities in products will change,” Ternus said in response to a question about Apple’s future focus on design. “It will evolve as new technology comes along, but the way we work – I don’t want that to change.”
Apple notably left most of the AI race behind by not developing its own frontier model. Apple executives said the company didn’t need to develop everything, or appeal to a “crazy fringe.”
“Design has always been at the heart of this company, and I think our respect for the user and creating products that are useful and beneficial to people is the first task,” concluded Ternus. “We’re going to continue on this.”
Apple is shipping the iPhone Duo to lucky customers who managed to pre-order one for an October 23 release. The device has reportedly seen “extraordinary demand” and new orders will not ship until the end of January 2027.
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