Getty
Apple design chief Jony Ive (l) and CEO Tim Cook.
- Legendary Apple design chief Jony Ive announced he was leaving the company last week.
- A report from the Wall Street Journal details how Ive gradually drifted away from the company.
- Apple CEO Tim Cook's lack of interest in the product development process apparently disheartened Ive, according to the Journal.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Jony Ive gradually drifted apart from Apple after Tim Cook - Steve Jobs' successor as CEO - showed little interest in product development processes, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Citing interviews with Apple employees who worked with Ive, as well as some close to the company's leadership, the Journal described how Ive gradually disengaged from the day-to-day of Apple operations.
It builds on a report by Bloomberg last week, which said that Ive was turning up to the office as little as twice a week as he shed some of his responsibilities.
Ive holds legendary status at Apple, and is credited with the success of its most famous products including the iPhone, which he worked on with founder Steve Jobs.
Cook became CEO after Jobs' death in 2011. The Journal reports that he sought to keep Ive satisfied with a hefty pay packet, which exceeded the salary of fellow executives. He also made Ive chief design officer in 2015.
However, the Journal reports he was less interested in the design process than Jobs. People in the design studio reportedly didn't see much of Cook, whereas great ceremony was made of Jobs' visits. According to the Journal, Cook's differing style of leadership left Ive "dispirited," and he was increasingly absent from meetings.
Ive announced his departure from Apple last week after 27 years at the company. He isn't going far, however, as he's setting up his own design company called LoveFrom, which will work closely with Apple.
"Apple will continue to benefit from Jony's talents by working directly with him on exclusive projects, and through the ongoing work of the brilliant and passionate design team he has built," Cook said in a company statement.