Skip to main content

Jony Ive focuses on the small things in Vogue interview on the Apple Watch

Apple is working tirelessly to undo the damage that others have done to the idea of the smartwatch. When the company introduced the Apple Watch in September, CEO Tim Cook and famed Apple designer Jony Ive went out of their way to avoid the word “smartwatch.” The Apple Watch was described as just a watch — albeit an incredible one. Since then, Apple has courted fashion writers, designers, and fashion-forward consumers in an unparalleled campaign to ameliorate the smartwatch’s image.

The Apple Watch made its first public appearance since its debut at Paris Fashion week on the last day of September. Now, the October issue of Vogue features an extensive profile of Ive, the man behind the Apple Watch. So far, not one tech journalist has received any one-on-one time with Ive or a fully functional version of the Watch, but fashion writers, Vogue editors, and famous designers have had a few brief moments with the device.

Recommended Videos

Apple is clearly working hard to convince the fashion forward that the Apple Watch is a beautiful device; that it is different from every other smartwatch out there, because it was designed perfectly with the high-fashion crowd in mind. Naturally, Apple chose Ive as its conduit into the fashion world. In the Vogue profile, the notoriously private Ive opens up about his love of design and focuses in on the smallest details of the Apple Watch. After all, in his mind, all the small things are what make the Apple Watch different from every other smartwatch before it.

apple watch hands on 7
Image used with permission by copyright holder

While some may say the Apple Watch is heavy, Ive says that’s “[b]ecause it’s real materials.” He encouraged the writer to focus on look and feel of the device, and to notice the small design tweaks that make it innovative and a pleasure to wear. One of Ive’s favorite parts of the watch is all the different strap designs. Some connect with magnets, others with a buckle, but all close with a solid, and satisfying snap, causing Ive to burst out with the enthusiastic interjection, “Isn’t that fantastic?”

“You just press this button and it slides off, and that is just gorgeous,” he said, pausing for emphasis. “But listen as it closes,” he added. “It makes this fantastic k-chit.”

Of course, Ive finds it hard to condense the entire design process into an easily digestible sound bite. “It’s strange when you’ve been working on something for three years…” he told Vogue, explaining how he studied the history of clocks, watches, and other time pieces. “It’s fascinating how people struggled with wearing this incredibly powerful technology personally.”

The interview briefly discusses how the Apple Watch works, but mainly focuses on how it will fit into your lifestyle.

“You know how very often technology tends to inhibit rather than enable more nuanced, subtle communication?” he asks. “We spent a lot of time working on this special mechanism inside, combined with the built-in speaker … You feel this very gentle tap and you can feel my heartbeat. This is a very big deal, I think. It’s being able to communicate in a very gentle way.”

The article concludes with the endorsement that Apple seems to be looking for from the fashion world.

“The watch underscores the fact that Ive is first and foremost a masterly product designer; technology almost comes second. It’s a beautiful object, a device you might like even if you don’t like devices,” the article reads, validating Ive’s statement that “Everything we’ve been trying to do, it’s that pursuit of the very pure and very simple.”

Malarie Gokey
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
I’m saving for Apple’s game-changing 2027 products and you should, too
Apple Watch Series 7 sitting on top of an iPhone 13 Pro.

Apple makes terrific hardware, and serves an astoundingly refined software to go with it. The company, unfortunately, also follows a strategy where it repeats the same fundamental design and innovation stack for years. 

In a nutshell, you get to see a remarkably new hardware from Apple once or twice in a decade.  The year 2027 is shaping up to be one such year, and it seems buyers will be spoiled for choice with the sheer diversity of upgraded products in two years from now. 

Read more
3 things I want to see from the new Apple Health at WWDC 2025
A screen showing Apple Health info page

We’re entering a fairly crucial part of the year for Apple. Yes, it’s not the iPhone launch season, which is arguably still the most important part, but it is WWDC time, and it is a first look at the future of Apple’s ecosystem. 

With WWDC 2025 a month away, we haven’t heard much about what Apple has planned, but we know that the event will focus heavily on AI. There may be new hardware in the AirTag 2, but we will learn more about the future of Siri. It’s been a year since the new Siri was announced, but Apple has already confirmed that the features will take another year to roll out.

Read more
Apple Watch sales are still falling, but the reasons are clear
A person wearing the titanium Apple Watch Series 10.

While the Apple Watch has proved popular since the first one dropped in 2015, the tech giant’s smartwatch has seen declining sales more recently.

According to new data from Counterpoint Research, Apple’s smartwatch shipments declined a not insignificant 19% year-on-year in 2024, with the device brand experiencing declines in all regions except India. 

Read more