Sir Jonathan Ive Promoted To Chief Design Officer; Now Competes With Tim Cook For Power And Influence In Apple

Apple has a new chief design officer, Sir Jonathan Ive, this is probably a move that will make the designer's hold on the new products' direction at the largest tech company in the world.

Ive was given double duties for both software and hardware design in an executive revamp in 2012, however will pass on the daily managerial task to Alan Dye, vice president of user interface design and Richard Howarth, vice president of industrial design. The new designation recognizes a present expansion of his responsibility beyond devices and into designing new Cupertino campus and Apple's retail stores.

Ive now competes with Tim Cook for influence and power in Apple, particularly in product direction that was recently led by its former and late CEO Steve Jobs. Although, some outside forces have witnessed the transition as a likely sign that Ive is getting ready to eventually leave Apple.

"I think it also allows him to step back a bit from the core product stuff, and enjoy a bit more freedom as far as what he can apply his design talents too," Mr Jan Dawson, a tech analyst at Jackdaw Research added. "Obviously that might include cars and other things Apple might be investigating as possible future products."

According in the New Yorker magazine, Ive is a car enthusiast as he is a watch fan. People who are aware of Apple's plan to venture in the car industry said it is hiring designers and car engineers to a lab to develop an electric car, which is in its early phase.

The new campus will be named as "Donut" and "Spaceship" representing its round shape, is foreseen to be finished in 2017. Apple campus 2 is designed by Foster and Partners that could house 13,000 workers and will be entirely powered by renewable energy.