Three veterans of Apple's industrial design team, who collectively have more than 45 years of experience at the technology giant, have recently chosen to leave the company, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Rico Zorkendorfer and Daniele De Iuliis, who have spent more than 35 years at Apple combined, decided to leave the company recently, people familiar with the departures told the WSJ. Additionally, 10-year Apple veteran Julian Hönig will leave the company in the next few months, sources familiar with his plans told the publication.
While Mr. De Iuliis didn't immediately respond to the WSJ for comment and Mr. Hönig declined, Mr. Zorkendorfer told the publication he felt "privileged" to work as a designer for Apple and that he was "taking a break," from his career to focus on his family.
As members of Apple's industrial design team, Mr. Zorkendorfer, Mr. De Iuliis and Mr. Hönig were responsible for work behind the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Apple's ID team comprises an estimated 24 members, who develop the "look and feel" of Apple products, according to the report.
"This group is all-powerful in Apple," Neil Cybart, who runs Above Avalon, a site dedicated to Apple analysis, told the publication. "Industrial designers have the final say over the user experience found with Apple devices, and they really do work like a family in a way."