Knighted Jony Ive: current project is Apple's most important and best work yet

Ive was in England this week where he was knighted for “services to design and enterprise.” During the Brit’s visit, he spoke with The Telegraph in a lengthy interview where he was asked if he had to be remembered for just one product, which one would it be.

After a long pause, Ive told the reporter that what Apple is working on right now feels like the most important and the best work they have done. Of course, he can’t reveal what said product is so it’s a sheer guessing game at this point. Possible products could include the new iPhone, the next iPad or even the long-rumored Apple TV.

Ive further elaborates that a large number of products ultimately remain hidden away behind Apple’s walls. He says that it’s often unclear during a project if they will be able to overcome hurdles and create something that lives up to Apple standards. Challenges of this nature happened with the iPod, iPhone and the iPad.

But one of the toughest aspects of his job is not in the design phase but knowing when to walk away from a prototype.

"And there have been times when we've been working on a program and when we are at a very mature stage and we do have solutions and you have that sinking feeling because you're trying to articulate the values to yourself and to others just a little bit too loudly,” Ive said. “And you have that sinking feeling that the fact that you are having to articulate the value and persuade other people is probably indicative of the fact that actually it's not good enough. On a number of occasions we've actually all been honest with ourselves and said 'you know, this isn't good enough, we need to stop'. And that's very difficult."

Roger McNamee talks to Bloomberg West

Roger McNamee is  very refreshing in his critique and guidance. He allocates Elevation Partners VC capital to eight slots and doesn't want to diversify. Diversification minimizes the profits and increases the risk. Apple is the only public stock he ever owned.

He looks for the next enabling technology. Not like Pinterest collecting people's crap. But, like Adobe in the past, now - enabling mobile applications to run.

 Listen up, new entrepreneurs.

Reflection Series: Jonathan Ive, Apple's senior vice-president of industrial design

Other than Steve Jobs himself, no single figure has defined Apple’s resurgence since 1997 more than Jonathan Ive, the company’s senior vice-president of industrial design.

He's a designer who taps into the wells of unmet consumer need that fuel Apple's ongoing growth. With the exception of Steve himself, he's tuned to the zeitgeist that determines winners more than anyone else at Apple. Moreover, he's able to articulate that vision with consistent grace and precise execution. He's got a track record of hitting home runs. If you want to keep the innovation leadership that makes Apple, well, Apple, then you've got to have the driver's seat firmly bolted to the flow of trend, meaning, and consequence. That's the domain of Design, and Jonathan Ive is your Designer.

Jony Ive is a brilliant designer. That doesn’t mean he would be a great CEO — he certainly doesn’t have the sales flair that defines an Apple product introduction. Still, an interesting and provocative reminder of the need to figure out what comes after Steve.