Teejay Tech 07.12.2022 20:Jul PM EDT

Apple, Jony Ive End Their Exclusive Consulting Partnership — But Why?

Apple and Jony Ive, its ex-chief design officer, have reportedly ended their partnership, which birthed an exclusive consulting agreement.

(Photo : by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 03: Apple CEO Tim Cook (L) and Apple chief design officer Jony Ive (R) look at the new Mac Pro during the 2019 Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) at the San Jose Convention Center on June 03, 2019 in San Jose, California.

So it appears that the iconic designer of Apple products, such as the iPhones and iMacs, is no longer working with the Cupertino-based tech giant after more than three decades.

Apple, Jony Ive End Partnership

As per a news story by The Verge, the former chief design officer of Apple decided to leave the iPhone maker way back in 2019 as he took on a new venture.

The hardware design visionary started to set up his own independent design firm, known as LoveFrom, in the same year he left Apple.

But even if Ive left the helm of the renowned tech giant, he said back then that he still looks forward to sharing his design prowess with Apple. The ex-chief design officer of the iPhone maker even highlighted that this should last "for many years to come."

And as such, his new design firm, LoveFrom, won a contract with Apple, wherein the latter reportedly paid to the tune of $100 million.

(Photo : Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
BERLIN, GERMANY - JANUARY 04: People walk past the Apple Store on January 04, 2019 in Berlin, Germany.

This time, though, the partnership between Apple and the famed designer is reportedly coming to its final curtain call.

According to the latest report by The New York Times, the Cupertino tech behemoth and Ive have mutually decided to end their partnership, at least that is what two sources close to the situation are claiming.

Essentially, this ends the three-decade-long stint of its ex-chief design officer in molding the hardware design of all sorts of Apple offerings, such as the iPhone, the iMacs, and the Apple Watch.

Apple, Jony Ive Break Up: What's the Reason?

The New York Times reports that the multi-million contract between Ive and Apple is up for renewal, but they both agreed not to push through with it anymore.

The report discloses that the top brass of the iPhone maker questioned the multi-million price of the partnership with the renowned designer.

Apart from the hefty cost of the exclusive consulting agreement, the executives of Apple are reportedly "frustrated" as a couple of its designers have left in favor of the independent design firm of Ive.

On the other hand, the former chief designer officer of Apple raised his concern about the agreement as well. Ive reportedly wants to have the freedom to work with clients without needing to ask for the approval of the Cupertino giant.

The New York Times also says that the consulting agreement allegedly "restricted" its ex-chief designer from taking clients that were deemed by Apple as "competitive."