Apple has confirmed a massive change in its design team as Alan Dye prepares to leave the company after nearly two decades. Bloomberg reported that Dye will join Meta at the end of December as chief design officer. This completely changes the design direction of one of the most recognised product lines in the world.
Dye joined Apple in 2006 and moved to Jony Ive’s user interface team in 2012. He worked on iOS 7 and went on to shape iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and visionOS updates. His most recent work involved the Vision Pro interface and the Liquid Glass design style in iOS 26 and macOS 26.
Meta says Dye will lead a new design studio that brings together hardware, software and AI teams. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Threads that the studio aims to connect design, fashion and technology in one place. He said the company wants to treat intelligence as a new design material and build new products around it.
What Will Dye Do At Meta?
Bloomberg reports that Dye will work under Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth. His new studio will oversee everything from the design of Meta’s headsets to software layouts and AI driven tools. Jason Rubin will run the metaverse design and art teams while Pete Bristol will guide the industrial design group. Former Apple designer Billy Sorrentino and Meta design lead Joshua To are also part of this set up.
Meta has enjoyed strong interest in its Quest headsets and its Ray Ban Meta smart glasses. The company now wants to develop more devices, and Dye is expected to guide many of these projects. Future versions of the Meta Ray Ban Display and the Neural Band accessory are among the products that could benefit from this new design studio.
Dye’s arrival comes at a time when Meta and Apple both work on glasses and mixed reality devices. Apple already has the Vision Pro, and reports say it is building its own smart glasses. That creates the prospect of even closer rivalry between the two firms.
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How Is Apple Responding To The Departure?
Apple plans to replace Dye with Stephen Lemay, a designer who has been at the company for over 25 years. Apple CEO Tim Cook told Bloomberg that Lemay has shaped every major interface since 1999 and praised his creativity.
Cook said design sits at the heart of Apple and that its current design group is working on what he called the most innovative line up in the company’s history. Apple’s secrecy around internal work means the company rarely credits individuals openly, but Dye’s influence stretched across major platforms and major visual shifts inside Apple.
The company now turns to Lemay to guide the next stage of its design direction, while Dye prepares to take on one of the biggest design jobs at Meta.
On Threads, Mark Zuckerberg shared: “Today we’re establishing a new creative studio in Reality Labs led by Alan Dye, who has spent nearly 20 years leading design at Apple.
“The new studio will bring together design, fashion, and technology to define the next generation of our products and experiences. Our idea is to treat intelligence as a new design material and imagine what becomes possible when it is abundant, capable, and human-centered. We plan to elevate design within Meta, and pull together a talented group with a combination of craft, creative vision, systems thinking, and deep experience building iconic products that bridge hardware and software.
“Alan will be joined by Billy Sorrentino, another acclaimed design lead from Apple; Joshua To, who has led our interface design across Reality Labs; our industrial design team led by Pete Bristol; and our metaverse design and art teams led by Jason Rubin.
“We’re entering a new era where AI glasses and other devices will change how we connect with technology and each other. The potential is enormous, but what matters most is making these experiences feel natural and truly centered around people. With this new studio, we’re focused on making every interaction thoughtful, intuitive, and built to serve people.
“I’m excited to welcome Alan and Billy to Meta to work with me, Boz, and our team to drive this important work forward.”
