Alan Dye Leaves Apple After Two Decades, Joins Meta as Chief Design Officer

Alan Dye, one of Apple’s most influential design leaders and the creative force behind the recent Liquid Glass interface, is set to leave the company after nearly 20 years. According to Bloomberg, Dye will take on a new role as Chief Design Officer at Meta, marking one of the most notable crossovers between two of Silicon Valley’s biggest tech rivals.

Dye officially begins his new position on December 31, taking charge of a newly structured design organisation at Meta. His responsibilities will span both hardware and software, with a strong focus on the company’s expanding portfolio of AI-powered headsets and smart glasses—a central part of Meta’s long-term vision for augmented and mixed reality.

A Defining Era at Apple Comes to a Close

Alan Dye joined Apple in 2006 as a creative director in the marketing and communications division. His design journey took a pivotal turn when he transitioned into interface design, eventually joining Jony Ive’s iconic design group in 2012. There, he played a key role in shaping the bold redesign of iOS 7, a shift toward minimalism and flat visuals that influenced software design across the tech world.

Following Ive’s move to the role of Chief Design Officer in 2015, Dye stepped into the leadership position for Apple’s user interface design team. Over the years, he helped guide the evolution of Apple’s key operating systems—including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and later visionOS—ensuring they remained recognisable, cohesive and deeply intuitive.

Most recently, he contributed significantly to the interface of the Vision Pro, bringing spatial computing experiences to life with Apple’s signature attention to detail. He also oversaw the acclaimed Liquid Glass redesign for iOS 26 and macOS 26, which refreshed Apple’s longstanding sense of depth, transparency and motion for modern devices.

Dye’s departure signals the end of a notable chapter for Apple’s Human Interface Design team, a group central to the company’s identity since the original iPhone.

Stephen Lemay Takes the Helm at Apple

In response to Dye’s exit, Apple has appointed long-time designer Stephen Lemay as his successor. Lemay, who has been part of Apple for over 25 years, has contributed to nearly every major Apple interface since 1999.

In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook said: “Steve Lemay has played a key role in the design of every major Apple interface since 1999. He has always set an extraordinarily high bar for excellence and embodies Apple’s culture of collaboration and creativity. Design is fundamental to who we are at Apple, and today, we have an extraordinary design team working on the most innovative product lineup in our history.”

Lemay now takes on the responsibility of maintaining Apple’s legacy of visual clarity and sophistication as the company deepens its investment in AI-driven products and spatial computing.

Meta’s Bold Design Ambitions

Dye’s arrival at Meta underscores the company’s intention to refine and unify the design language across its hardware ecosystem. With products such as Quest headsets, Ray-Ban Meta glasses and new AI-integrated devices, the company is accelerating its push into immersive and intelligent technologies.

For Dye, the move represents a chance to reimagine Meta’s hardware strategy and bring cohesion to its growing lineup. His expertise in creating human-centered experiences may prove crucial as Meta competes head-on with Apple’s expanding Vision Pro platform.

Alan Dye’s shift from Apple’s precision-driven design culture to Meta’s more experimental environment marks a symbolic turning point in the tech design world—one that could shape the future of AR, AI and the next generation of interfaces.