Former Apple iPhone design chief Tang Tan is set to join Jony Ive’s LoveFrom company, contributing to a groundbreaking AI hardware project in collaboration with OpenAI. The transition, following Tan’s planned departure from Apple in February 2024, marks a significant shift in his career trajectory. Apple has reportedly already begun redistributing Tan’s responsibilities, in anticipation of his shift towards this new venture.
Renowned for his contributions to Apple’s product design, particularly the iPhone and Apple Watch, Tang Tan brings a wealth of experience and innovation to LoveFrom. His expertise is highlighted by numerous patents, including a notable one from 2010 related to the iPhone’s steel bezel design.
This expertise will now be directed towards engineering hardware for LoveFrom’s partnership with OpenAI, as reported by Bloomberg. The venture, still in its conceptual phase, is exploring various AI devices potentially suitable for home use. Both OpenAI and LoveFrom have yet to comment on the specifics of these devices.
Tang Tan’s educational background, with stints at MIT and Imperial College London, underpins his impressive design portfolio. The collaboration between LoveFrom and OpenAI, although still in its early stages, is rapidly gathering momentum, focusing on conceptual development and assembling a team of top-tier talent.
Tan’s move to LoveFrom is part of a broader trend of Apple designers transitioning to Ive’s firm. In 2021, LoveFrom successfully recruited four designers from Apple, encompassing both hardware and software expertise.
This pattern underscores LoveFrom’s ambition to build a team as influential and innovative as Apple’s original design group, of which Ive was a key member.