3 6 Ke·2025-11-18 02:39Core Insights - The iPhone Air is facing significant challenges, including poor sales and delays in its release, compounded by the departure of key designer Abidur Chowdhury from Apple to an unnamed AI startup [1][2][4] Design Team Dynamics - Abidur Chowdhury's departure is not directly linked to the iPhone Air's poor sales, as his design work received internal praise [4] - Since 2019, Apple's design team has experienced instability, with many veteran designers leaving or retiring, including former Chief Design Officer Jony Ive [7] - Current design head Molly Anderson remains one of the few designers from the Jony Ive era, focusing on intuitive product design [9] Leadership Changes - Apple's COO Jeff Williams recently retired, leading to a shift in design team oversight directly to CEO Tim Cook [10] - The company is facing challenges in attracting talent and maintaining a cohesive team, especially as it approaches its 50th anniversary [12] Future Outlook - Apple is accelerating its succession planning, with John Ternus, the current hardware senior vice president, being a strong candidate to lead the company in the future [12]