Meta is elevating its design strategy with a key hire from Apple. Alan Dye, who has led Apple’s user interface design team since 2015 and spent nearly 20 years with the company, will join Meta on December 31st. Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed the departure and announced veteran designer Stephen Lemay as Dye’s successor.
Mark Zuckerberg revealed details of Dye’s new role through a post on Threads, announcing the creation of a creative studio within Reality Labs. This studio will focus on combining design, fashion, and technology to create innovative user experiences. The appointment represents Meta’s commitment to making design a competitive advantage.
The new studio will assemble a team with exceptional skills across multiple disciplines. Zuckerberg emphasized that the objective is to elevate design standards throughout Meta’s organization and create products that bridge hardware and software. Dye will work directly under Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, giving him significant strategic influence.
Zuckerberg painted a picture of an emerging era where AI glasses and other devices will fundamentally reshape connectivity. He stressed that the new studio will focus on creating thoughtful and intuitive experiences that serve people’s needs. By bringing in a designer of Dye’s caliber and experience, Meta is positioning itself to compete more effectively in markets where design quality is a key differentiator, potentially challenging established players in the industry.