Design government behind ‘Liquid Glass’ is leaving Apple


File: Then Apple Artistic Director Alan Dye celebrates the launch of the July Difficulty on the new WIRED workplace on June 24, 2015 in San Francisco, California.

Kimberly White | Getty Photos

Apple‘s head of consumer interface design, Alan Dye, will reportedly be part of Meta, in a notable shift of government expertise in Silicon Valley.

Apple confirmed Dye’s departure and CEO Tim Prepare dinner mentioned in an announcement that the corporate prioritizes design and has a powerful staff. The assertion mentioned that veteran designer Stephen Lemay will succeed Dye.

“Steve Lemay has performed a key position within the design of each main Apple interface since 1999,” Prepare dinner mentioned in an announcement.

In comparison with different Silicon Valley corporations, Apple has at all times emphasised design to clients and traders as one in every of its strengths. Apple prominently options its design executives to debate interface modifications on the firm’s launch occasions.

Most not too long ago, Dye revealed in June a redesign of Apple’s software program interface for iPhones, Macs, and Apple Watch referred to as Liquid Glass. The corporate described it as an “elegant” new design with translucent buttons, up to date app icons, and fluid animations.

Dye mentioned it was the “subsequent chapter” of the corporate’s software program and mentioned it “units the stage” for the subsequent period of Apple merchandise.

“Our new design blurs the strains between {hardware} and software program to create an expertise that is extra pleasant than ever whereas nonetheless acquainted and simple to make use of,” Dye mentioned on the launch.

Evaluations have been blended on the Liquid Glass replace, which shipped with new iPhones in September.

Apple proclaims liquid glass throughout the Apple Worldwide Builders Convention (WWDC) on June 9, 2025 in Cupertino, California.

Justin Sullivan | Getty Photos

For years, Apple design was embodied by government Jony Ive, who left Apple in 2019 and is now working with OpenAI on synthetic intelligence {hardware} alongside Sam Altman.

Dye took over consumer interface design and have become one of many design studio’s leads in 2015 when Ive stepped again from a day-to-day position. Dye began at Apple in 2006 and labored on software program for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Imaginative and prescient Professional, in response to his LinkedIn.

He was additionally partly accountable for the primary iPhone in 2017 that did away with the house display screen button on the backside of the machine and changed it with a software-based swipe-up movement.

Meta has mentioned lately that it desires to be a serious maker of {hardware} and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has mentioned Apple is among the social networking firm’s largest rivals.

Meta at present makes a number of digital actuality headsets beneath its Oculus model, and not too long ago scored its first {hardware} hit with Ray-Ban Meta good glasses, that are trendy sun shades outfitted with cameras and the flexibility to run an AI mannequin that may reply questions. Gross sales of the machine tripled over the previous 12 months, the Ray-Ban dad or mum firm mentioned in July.

Bloomberg first reported the transfer.

The report mentioned that Dye will likely be accountable for a brand new design studio at Meta the place he will likely be accountable for design for {hardware}, software program, and AI integration. Meta did not instantly reply to a request for remark.