 No. 15 Jonathan Ive, VP of industrial design, Apple
Last year's position: Not placed
When you think of Apple, pretty products that beat the beige box stereotype are among the first images that come to mind - and Jonathan Ive is the man in charge of the prettying-up process. His sleek, attractive and ergonomic designs are a revelation to the computer industry - an agenda everyone else is scurrying to copy.
Apple's been up to its neck in redesigning of late. The iPod mini, which launched in five different colours, marks a departure from its traditional Apple-white big brother. Though the colourful minis proved a success, white is what Apple's known for and white is what the next generation iPod will be. It's not been released yet but Ive has made sure the design is even more stripped-down and minimalist than its predecessor.
When it comes to stripped-down, the new iMac is certainly that. Ive gave the nod to an all-in-one approach, ditching the under-the-desk box in favour of a single bit of kit. Regardless of the mixed reviews, the system stands as a testament to Apple's design ethos of 'thinking different'.
And, if reports are to be believed, there's more up Ive's sleeve. The Cupertino pendulum may be moving away from all white as a recently-filed patent from Apple hinted at monitors with chameleon colours.
|
