Apple's Jony Ive knighted in New Year Honours list
Apple's design supremo is now Sir Jonathan, thanks to the honour. He described it as "absolutely thrilling."
That's Sir Jonathan, to you. Apple's design supremo Jony Ive has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours list, honouring his design classics that include the iPod, Macbook, iPhone and iPad.
He's been made a Knight Commander of the British Empire (KBE), the BBC reports. Though it's not the first time he's been credited, as he also got the CBE back in 2005.
He described the latest honour as "absolutely thrilling" adding that he was "both humbled and sincerely grateful." He said, "I am keenly aware that I benefit from a wonderful tradition in the UK of designing and making.
"I discovered at an early age that all I've ever wanted to do is design."
Born in 1967, Ive always enjoyed taking things apart to see how they worked. He studied Industrial design at Northumbria Polytechnic, and went on to found an agency called Tangerine.
Apple was so impressed with work he did on a prototype notebook it offered him a full-time job in 1992. Steve Jobs' return to the company in 1995 saw Ive gain more influence over Apple's products, and his original iMac helped Apple turn around its fortunes.
The hits followed, including the iPod, iPhone, Macbook, and iPad. Jobs described Ive as his spiritual partner, though in an interview with Jobs' biographer Walter Isaacson, Ive admitted that it wasn't always plain sailing working so closely with Jobs.
Ive said throughout the design process he pays "maniacal attention to detail to where an idea comes from, and I even keep notebooks filled with my ideas. So it hurts when he [Jobs] takes credit for one of my designs."
The world is waiting with baited breath for what Ive will spring on us next. An iPhone 5? New iPad? Or even the fabled Apple TV? We'll have to wait and see…
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