US Edition The news that Jony Ive has been promoted to Apple's chief design officer has caused waves of speculation as to what it may mean for Ive's standing within the Californian company.
The British designer revealed his new role in an exclusive interview for the Telegraph conducted by long-time Apple fan Stephen Fry.
Ive's admission he will spend more time travelling and designing has caused some to suggest he is looking to move home to Britain after decades spent living in the States, or turn his attentions to other aspects of design, including Apple Campus 2 and the company's retail stores.
In a memo to Apple staff, chief executive Tim Cook describes Ive as "one of the most talented and accomplished designers of his generation".
Attention turned to the two designers who would be taking on Ive's previous day-to-day duties, Alan Dye and Richard Howarth.
Questions sprang up as to why Ive would want to delegate such seemingly-important tasks to others:
There was also speculation the new role was in fact a cover for semi-retirement:
Of course, not everyone was entirely serious...
Whether Ive's new role will leave him with more or less overall control over Apple's hardware, or whether he's set his eye on more general aesthetic projects remains to be seen. But this is irrefutably ushering in a new era of Apple management, and how to company will envision its future.