“While Apple prides itself in maintaining a tight group of 19 industrial design team members under Jony Ive, one longtime member Daniel Coster has made a rare exception to the general rule and departed the company for a new venture elsewhere,” Zac Hall reports for 9to5Mac.
“As a member of Apple’s design team, Coster’s name has appeared on patents dating back to 1999 ranging from the iPhone 4 design to the iPad Pro’s Smart Keyboard cover as well as software interfaces. Since departing from Apple, Coster has taken an executive role at action camera company GoPro,” Hall reports. “News of Coster’s departure was first reported today by The Information: ‘A member of Apple’s elite industrial design team, Danny Coster, is jumping ship, joining GoPro to head up a new hardware design group there.'”
“The report goes on to note that GoPro announced the hire to employees in a company-wide email today, explaining that Coster would begin his role as VP of design at the end of the month,” Hall reports. “And as Neil Cybart points out on Twitter, Coster had previously detailed his move from Apple to GoPro in an interview with New Zealand publication Stuff (Coster is a native of Wellington) in March.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: A rare, singular example of turnover out of Ive’s (Howarth’s) usually tight-knit group or is this the first break in a long-pent-up dam?
Only time will tell.
SEE ALSO:
Uh oh, Apple’s new design leads report to CEO Tim Cook, and not Jony Ive – July 2, 2015
Jony Ive: How an industrial designer became Apple’s greatest product – February 16, 2015
This is the beginning of the end of Jony Ive’s time at Apple – May 28, 2015
Jony Ive is Apple’s next Steve Jobs – May 27, 2015
Obviously, Jony Ive is preparing to retire from Apple – May 27, 2015
What Jony Ive’s ‘promotion’ really means – May 26, 2015
Now Jony Ive will have an even bigger influence over Apple’s image – May 26, 2015
Stephen Fry meets Jony Ive, Apple’s newly-promoted chief design officer – May 26, 2015
Jony Ive gives up day-to-day managerial duties to focus on big picture – May 26, 2015
Jony Ive promoted to ‘Chief Design Officer’ – May 25, 2015
Jony Ive is the most powerful person at Apple – December 12, 2014
Jony Ive hasn’t been given too much power at Apple – because he’s always had it – February 5, 2013
Steve Jobs left design chief Jonathan Ive ‘more operational power’ than anyone else at Apple – October 21, 2011
He might have jumped down into a sinking ship. Was trading at 100, at $14 now. His hire gave the stock a bump today but GoPro’s long-term prospects depend on something really new.
And we all know how tough that taskmaster is.
I was thinking the same thing. GoPro seems to have had its peak. It will still be around, but now there are many other competitors in its market.
I have no doubt they threw a lot of money at Coster, and that he will improve their design. Right now the design of their products is pretty basic. But whether that will get them to a higher level of sales, I don’t know.
Also, with this type of product, one has to wonder how much design counts anyway. An action camera like GoPro is generally mounted somewhere and then forgotten about, while the actions happens and the video is taken. Think of the GoPro mounted on a helmet, a bike, a dog, etc…it’s small and inconspicuous…does anyone really notice or care about its design?
I bought a GoPro Session 4 about 6 months ago and it’s a fantastic little product.
Before that I was always baffled by the myriad of models they offered.
Good luck to Danny.
As great as a gig working on that team is, if you know you’ll never go further, and never become the top dog, it’s understandable to leave to lead your own team. I’m sure he’ll get a boatload of money to boot.
There is a big difference between being a visionary and a great designer. Finding that talent combined in one person is extremely difficult. And feeling you want to make your own dent in the universe after working under the tutelage of such a person and then finding out you lack the strength in one or both attributes will bring you down to earth real quick. I wish him good luck but don’t see this as working out real well.
Apple appeared to be a very risky career move when he went to work for Apple.
Will lightning strike twice?
Probably the best hire GoPro has ever made. Their industrial design has always been mediocre. Coster is likely to make their products impressive.
-jcr
GP had its heyday and it’s now a dying fish.
All the Walter Mittys who bought GP cameras fantasize about flying thru canyons or riding that wave, but in the end, it was just a fantasy and they didn’t jump out of the plane, but the purchase made them feel like they were extreme sports players.
Now those cameras are merely collecting dust and for normal shooting, people simply use their phones. They don’t need the GP extreme sportsman fantasy to shoot videos of their kid’s birthday party.
Bottom line, Industrial Design is not going to help GP.
Must admit what can you do to distinguish the product from super cheap imports I wonder ongoing. Also unless they have done plan to expand it seems a little limited for someone of his calibre. Clearly it’s being in control that’s more important to him at this stage of his career than actual creativity.