New Delhi: Apple has lost its most visionary designer, who created a masterpiece for Apple this year. Yes, we are discussing Abidur Chowdhury, the designer who narrated the design video of the iPhone Air at Apple’s September event, who has left the company to join an Artificial Intelligence startup. According to some sources, his exit has made waves inside Apple, following his growing influence within the tech giant’s closely guarded design organisation. Apple is known for its carefully curated industrial design culture, but it has faced continued departures from this division over the past several years.
Abidur Chowdhury, an industrial designer, recently departed the iPhone maker for an artificial intelligence startup, according to the people familiar with the move. His exit made many waves inside the Appel teams, given his rising profile within the design team. His departure comes just months after Chowdhury presented the iPhone Air during the company’s autumn 2025 launch. Abidur Chowdhury joined Apple in 2019, shortly after the exit of legendary design chief Jony Ive, the man behind the iPhone and many of Apple’s most iconic products. However, Abidur Chowdhury’s exit marks yet another shake-up in the iPhone maker’s design department.
Apple’s industrial design group has been navigating a period of transition, with several long-time designers either retiring or following Jony Ive to his latest ventures. During his time at Apple, Abidur Chowdhury emerged as one of the standout figures, described as playing a key role in developing the iPhone Air and shaping both its physical identity and the narrative around its launch. iPhone Air represented a notable shift in Apple’s smartphone strategy, as it was the first device from Apple which prioritised thinness, lightness, and a streamlined form factor.
However, many of the reports clarify that Abidur Chowdhury’s departure is not related to the iPhone Air’s commercial performance or any specific product issues. According to reports, they note that his exit is unrelated to the debut of the phone, which has seen its design praised despite underwhelming sales. The modest sales of the iPhone Air have raised questions about the consumer appetite for the ultra-thin premium phones, a category Apple is still working to define. Abidur Chowdhury’s departure also comes amid wider industry competition for AI talent. Tech companies of all sizes are racing to recruit engineers and designers to strengthen their AI capabilities, and Apple has already seen high-profile exits from its AI and machine learning teams.
