Tang Tan, the prominent Apple executive spearheading design for the iPhone and smartwatch, is slated to depart the tech giant in February, Bloomberg News revealed on Friday. Citing individuals familiar with the matter, this marks the second significant departure of an iPhone executive within a short span.
The earlier report by Bloomberg on December 6 highlighted the exit of Steve Hotelling, credited with overseeing the transformation of iPhone screen and touch ID technology, fundamentally altering the tactile experience and functionality of Apple's iconic smartphones.
Tan, currently holding the position of vice president of product design at Apple, will leave behind a series of reshuffled responsibilities among deputies, as detailed in the report.
The ripple effect of these departures is evident within Apple's internal leadership structure. Richard Dinh, at the helm of iPhone product design, is set to directly report to John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering, signalling a realignment of responsibilities within the core teams.
Moreover, the report also disclosed that Kate Bergeron, an esteemed hardware engineering executive overseeing Mac teams, will assume the mantle of guiding the design trajectory for the Apple Watch.
These strategic shifts in Apple's top-tier personnel reflect a pivotal moment for the company, raising anticipation and speculation about the future trajectory of iPhone and smartwatch design under new leadership.
Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly planning to launch multiple fresh models in March next year. Among these releases are set to be a faster MacBook Air with M3 and two revamped iPads. This strategic move aims to counter the downturn in sales that these devices have experienced lately.
Apple announced its latest financial results for its fiscal 2023 fourth quarter ended September 30, 2023 last month. The company posted quarterly revenue of $89.5 billion, down 1 percent year over year, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $1.46, up 13 percent year over year.
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