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Apple’s Jony Ive talks memories of Steve Jobs at Vanity Fair Summit

As expected, Apple’s Chief Design Officer Jony Ive today took the stage at Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Ive shared the stage with famed director, writer, and producer J.J. Abrams. During his time on stage, the Apple executive spent a decent amount of time discussing the life of the late Steve Jobs, who passed away four years ago this week.

Regarding the time when Jobs passed away, Ive remarked that he “was faced with this wall of grief.” Perhaps as a slight jab at recent films that have portrayed Jobs in a negative light, Ive also noted that he remembers the characteristics of the former Apple CEO that were “essentially him,” not the harsher nature with which he is often associated. Ive remarked that he does not remember Jobs the way he “is being frequently and popularly portrayed at the moment.”

Ive also noted of Jobs’s drive to make something perfect. “Steve Jobs never worked with a feeling of entitlement,” he explained. Jobs’s goal in reality was “heartwarmingly simple,” Ive said:

“What’s remained is almost unremarkable, but what’s remained is his very simple focus on trying to make something beautiful and great. And it really was simple. There wasn’t a grand plan of winning, or a very complicated agenda. That simplicity seemed almost childlike in its purity. And it’s true.”

Furthermore, Ive noted of Jobs’s love for the product design portion of development, explaining that during the design phase, Jobs was happier than he had ever been before:

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so happy, as I saw him—this very simple kind of joy—when he would realize, “This is actually working out. This could be great.” It was just the simplicity of that.

Aside from talking about Steve Jobs, Ive noted of a couple of other design philosophies he believes in. “The best ideas come from the tentative suggestion,” Ive explained. “We’re capable of discerning far more than we are capable of articulating.”

Regarding his new role as Chief Design Officer, Ive said that it’s something he “should have done this years ago” and that he’s never been “this happy and creative in years and years.”

At last year’s Vanity Fair Summit, Ive spent more time discussing the design of the then brand new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
You can read the full transcript of Ive speaking about Jobs below, as well as video clips. (via VF):

I was talking to a friend of Steve’s and a friend of mine earlier in the week, on the day that marked the fourth anniversary of his death. What struck me, four years ago, is that I was faced with this wall of grief. A lot of messy—a whole series of multiple feelings. In thinking of him then, there was this incredible complexity of all his attributes. What has been very surprising, is that over the four years that have passed, so much of that noise, and so many of his attributes, they’ve ended up essentially receding. And what’s left is . . . just him.

Quite honestly, what’s remained, I never would have predicted four years ago. What’s remained is almost unremarkable, but what’s remained is his very simple focus on trying to make something beautiful and great. And it really was simple. There wasn’t a grand plan of winning, or a very complicated agenda. That simplicity seemed almost childlike in its purity. And it’s true.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so happy, as I saw him—this very simple kind of joy—when he would realize, “This is actually working out. This could be great.” It was just the simplicity of that.

That stands in such contrast, obviously, to how he’s being frequently and popularly portrayed at the moment. The lack of agenda.

He certainly had a sense of a civic responsibility to make something good, as a way of somehow making a contribution to humanity, and to culture.

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Comments

  1. avifrischlaw - 9 years ago

    Every piece of Apple propaganda must be parroted as if it is total truth

    • flaviosuave - 9 years ago

      Fortunately, we have brave, intelligent and remarkably independent voices like avifrischlaw to cast light on the deception! May future world leaders throw parades in your honor!

    • Could it be possible that neither side speaks absolute truths, and maybe are expressing their own opinions and understanding? Perhaps, by listening to viewpoints and using our own intelligence and observation, we can come to our own informed conclusions?

      Oh, wait, never mind. This is the internet. Excuse me.

  2. mytawalbeh - 9 years ago

    Jobs was creative, passionate, leader and great man. Everybody has flaws but by enlarging the flaws in convoluted ways to entertain people is completely inappropriate. If they want so use any other character, he’s not here to defend himself.

  3. blakezoe - 9 years ago

    Jobs really has quicken the development pace of high technology. Apple has shied away from supporting Blu-ray playback in OS X, but there is a new media player available that allows for native Blu-ray playback.Many softwares like open source software- VLC and third-party software– Macgo Blu-ray Player was built based on it.

Author

Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is the editor-in-chief of 9to5Mac, overseeing the entire site’s operations. He also hosts the 9to5Mac Daily and 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcasts.

You can send tips, questions, and typos to chance@9to5mac.com.

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