Tim Cook Takes the Helm of Apple’s Design Future

A New Chapter in Apple’s Iconic Design Legacy

In a bold and telling move, Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to personally take charge of one of the company’s most revered divisions: its design team. This isn’t just a shuffle of executive roles—it’s a strategic pivot at a crucial time for Apple, as the tech giant prepares for a sweeping transformation in both hardware and software design. With Apple undergoing its largest interface overhaul in over a decade, the shift signals a renewed emphasis on aesthetics, creativity, and innovation under Cook’s direct supervision.

Cook, renowned for his expertise in operations and supply chains, is now stepping into the creative cockpit, overseeing the group responsible for crafting the sleek elegance of iPhones, MacBooks, and Apple Watches. As Apple redesigns its entire user experience, this leadership transition could have long-lasting implications for the company’s brand and future products.

Apple’s Internal Power Shift: A Strategic Design Overhaul

Tim Cook will soon assume direct oversight of Apple’s design team—a major development for a company known for making design a key part of its identity. The leadership change comes as Apple’s long-time Chief Operating Officer (COO), Jeff Williams, begins winding down his tenure. Williams, who has handled Apple’s operations since 2015 and filled the creative gap left by legendary design chief Jony Ive, will officially pass the torch to Sabih Khan, the company’s Senior VP of Operations, later this month.

Although Williams is set to retire at the end of 2025, he’ll stick around to oversee a few key areas—namely the Apple Watch, health technologies, and the design team—before exiting. Under Williams, the design team was reshaped, especially after Evans Hankey (who briefly led hardware design) left in 2023 to join Jony Ive’s new venture alongside OpenAI. Rather than appoint a new industrial design chief, Apple consolidated design functions, further centralizing leadership.

This consolidation has paved the way for Tim Cook to take the reins just as Apple embarks on a major software redesign initiative known internally as “Liquid Glass.” This project will introduce a more fluid, transparent, and futuristic user interface across iOS, macOS, and beyond—Apple’s biggest visual update in over ten years.

For Cook, known more for logistics and profits than aesthetic vision, this new responsibility marks a significant evolution in his role. It also indicates how deeply Apple still values design as a strategic pillar. Cook’s involvement is not symbolic—it’s a direct signal that Apple’s design renaissance is a mission-critical priority, particularly as competition from Samsung, Google, and AI-native startups intensifies.

What Undercode Say: Apple’s Design Pivot Is a High-Stakes Gamble

Tim Cook taking direct control of Apple’s design division is both unprecedented and telling. Since taking over from Steve Jobs, Cook has largely steered Apple through a steady path of incremental innovation, global supply chain dominance, and shareholder satisfaction. But where Jobs saw design as sacred, Cook has often been perceived as the steward of operational excellence, not creative daring.

This transition is Apple’s way of saying that design is no longer the responsibility of a single “visionary” leader like Jony Ive—it’s a core business function that now answers directly to the CEO. And that shift reflects broader trends in the tech industry. As consumer electronics become more commoditized, experience design—how a device feels, looks, and behaves—is once again a battlefield.

Apple’s decision to eliminate the role of industrial design chief is bold, maybe even risky. Without a singular figurehead in charge of hardware aesthetics, the creative process may become more collaborative—or more diluted. While “Liquid Glass” promises to unify Apple’s design language with greater fluidity and elegance, it also raises the stakes. If the interface is poorly received, it won’t just be a design misstep—it will be seen as a failure under Cook’s direct supervision.

Moreover, Cook’s involvement may bring discipline to a team long celebrated for freeform creativity, potentially shifting Apple’s culture toward more structured, top-down decision-making. Whether that enhances or stifles innovation remains to be seen. But it does show Apple is gearing up for a post-Ive era where beauty, utility, and profitability must converge seamlessly.

Design has always been

Ultimately, this is a signal to investors, customers, and rivals: Apple isn’t retreating from design excellence—it’s doubling down on it, with its CEO at the helm.

🔍 Fact Checker Results

✅ Jony Ive’s Departure & LoveFrom: Confirmed. Jony Ive left Apple in 2019 and formed LoveFrom.
✅ Evans Hankey Collaboration with OpenAI: Verified through industry sources as accurate.
✅ Liquid Glass Interface in Development: Rumored in multiple Apple insider reports, though Apple has not officially confirmed.

📊 Prediction: Design-Led Apple Products by 2026

Expect Apple to unveil a fully integrated design ecosystem by 2026—likely starting with iOS 19 and macOS 16. With Tim Cook personally involved, the focus will shift toward seamless, minimalistic interfaces that prioritize clarity, AR integration, and energy efficiency. Apple may even debut new hardware categories designed entirely under Cook’s creative oversight, marking a pivotal era for the company’s visual identity.