Meta is poaching top design talent from rival tech giant Apple to overhaul its software user interface, a move that could significantly impact the company's strategy and future success.
According to sources close to the matter, Alan Dye, formerly Apple’s vice president of Human Interface Design, has joined Meta to head up a new design studio within Meta’s Reality Labs. Billy Sorrentino, a senior director on Apple’s design team (and former WIRED creative director), is also set to join Meta’s Reality Labs.
The move is seen as a major coup for Mark Zuckerberg, who has been pushing for more investment in AI and design at Meta. The two designers are renowned for their work on Apple's products, including the Apple Watch and Vision Pro, and their arrival at Meta could signal a significant shift in the company's approach to user interface.
In a post on the Meta platform Threads, Zuckerberg said that Dye and Sorrentino would lead the new studio and "bring together design, fashion, and technology to define the next generation of our products and experiences." This suggests that Meta is looking to create more cohesive and stylish designs across its various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Anshel Sag, a tech analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, believes that the move could help Meta overcome some of its software issues. "Meta has always been a software nightmare," he said. "There's a lot of inconsistency across all of Meta’s software platforms... If they want users to stay on their platform, they're going to have to fix the UI."
The hiring is also seen as part of Meta's broader effort to improve its AI capabilities and compete with rival companies like Apple. The company has been investing heavily in machine intelligence research, including a reported $1 billion budget for AI research this year.
While Dye and Sorrentino are leaving Apple at a time when the company is struggling to match Meta's success in wearable technology, their arrival could signal significant changes in Meta's approach to smart glasses. The company has already gained traction with its Ray-Ban Meta lenses, which have been praised for their stylish design.
Overall, the poaching of top design talent from Apple suggests that Meta is taking a major step towards improving its software user interface and creating more cohesive designs across its various platforms.
According to sources close to the matter, Alan Dye, formerly Apple’s vice president of Human Interface Design, has joined Meta to head up a new design studio within Meta’s Reality Labs. Billy Sorrentino, a senior director on Apple’s design team (and former WIRED creative director), is also set to join Meta’s Reality Labs.
The move is seen as a major coup for Mark Zuckerberg, who has been pushing for more investment in AI and design at Meta. The two designers are renowned for their work on Apple's products, including the Apple Watch and Vision Pro, and their arrival at Meta could signal a significant shift in the company's approach to user interface.
In a post on the Meta platform Threads, Zuckerberg said that Dye and Sorrentino would lead the new studio and "bring together design, fashion, and technology to define the next generation of our products and experiences." This suggests that Meta is looking to create more cohesive and stylish designs across its various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Anshel Sag, a tech analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, believes that the move could help Meta overcome some of its software issues. "Meta has always been a software nightmare," he said. "There's a lot of inconsistency across all of Meta’s software platforms... If they want users to stay on their platform, they're going to have to fix the UI."
The hiring is also seen as part of Meta's broader effort to improve its AI capabilities and compete with rival companies like Apple. The company has been investing heavily in machine intelligence research, including a reported $1 billion budget for AI research this year.
While Dye and Sorrentino are leaving Apple at a time when the company is struggling to match Meta's success in wearable technology, their arrival could signal significant changes in Meta's approach to smart glasses. The company has already gained traction with its Ray-Ban Meta lenses, which have been praised for their stylish design.
Overall, the poaching of top design talent from Apple suggests that Meta is taking a major step towards improving its software user interface and creating more cohesive designs across its various platforms.
So they're poaching these top designers from Apple to make their UI better? That's like saying "let's just hire someone good at design, we'll figure out the tech later". I mean, what makes me think this is going to magically fix Meta's software issues? 
I need some actual data on how these designers are going to improve things before I get excited. Are there any studies or metrics that show UI redesigns actually lead to better user experience? Or is it just going to be another fancy new design with no substance behind it? 
, don't wanna see them making their own version of the mac pro 
, but seriously tho, having alan dye & billy sorrentino on board is a big win for meta 
, could be the push they need to get their software looking more cohesive and stylish 
. I mean, who wouldn't want the best designers in the game on their team? Alan Dye and Billy Sorrentino are like the holy grail of design talent 
. It's no wonder Mark Zuckerberg is so stoked about this move - he needs all the help he can get to sort out Meta's UI issues 
. I'm curious to see what kind of changes they'll bring over, but one thing's for sure: Meta's gotta step up their design game if they wanna compete with Apple 
apple's design team is like the best in the game, so it's no surprise they're poaching talent 
mark zuckerberg must be super hyped about this move 
finally a chance for meta to get some consistency across all their apps and maybe even catch up with apple's wearable tech 
they need a refresh, trust me i used to have an ipad pro but after switching to my new iphone 14 pro... it's like night and day 
meta needs ppl like dye and sorrentino on board ASAP or their software gonna keep suckin 
zuck needs to step up his game 
! Alan Dye and Billy Sorrentino are geniuses when it comes to design, and I'm sure they'll bring that expertise to Meta's Reality Labs. It's not like Apple is losing out on anything - they're still gonna make awesome products 
. And let's be real, Meta needs a design boost ASAP 
. So yeah, this move is all about improving the user experience and making Meta more competitive in the market. Bring it on! 
? anyway, does anyone know how to use the new meta lens thingy with facebook? i've been stuck on that for hours 
. Apple's got a great track record with their designs, so I'm sure Alan Dye and Billy Sorrentino are going to bring some serious expertise to Meta.
. That sounds like a pretty bold vision for the company, especially when you consider their AI ambitions 
. As Anshel Sag said, Meta has always struggled with software consistency, and I think this move could be a major step towards fixing that problem.
. The question now is, can they pull it off?
. I mean, have you tried using Facebook lately? It's like they're trying to drive everyone crazy 
.
. One thing's for sure: the smart glass market is gonna be interesting with these two guys in the mix 
!
and I'm still trying to figure out why my sunscreen bottle was all wrong... like, I thought it was SPF 50 but it was actually SPF 30 
. If Meta is poaching top design talent from Apple, that means their UI is probably pretty broken right now 
. I'm curious to see how this plays out, but for now, I'm just not feeling too optimistic about Meta's chances of success 
...
. I mean, Alan Dye and Billy Sorrentino are total rockstars when it comes to design, so if they're joining Meta, that's gotta be good for users 
. The idea of bringing together design, fashion, and tech is kinda cool too 
. Consistency across platforms has always been a problem for me. Fingers crossed that this new team can help shake things up and make the UI more user-friendly 
. One thing's for sure though, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out 
.
. I mean, who wouldn't want stylish and cohesive designs on all their apps? 
. And with these top designers on board, I'm sure we'll see some seriously innovative stuff 
. The tech world is definitely heating up and I'm loving every minute of it