Design is “engineering”. Engineers design, by definition[0]. Design, contrary to popular belief is about solving problems. Industrial design in particular focuses on how things work, not just the aesthetics of an object.
[0] from the OED: a) To make drawings for the construction or creation of (something, as a building, object, garment, etc.) according to certain aesthetic criteria; (b) to make plans for the production of (a device, product, etc.) according to structural or functional criteria (sometimes without the implication of aesthetic requirements); (c) (in extended use) to conceive, devise, plan (something immaterial, as a scheme, system, programme, etc.).
Re:Apple Reports Second Quarter Results
by Spooky23 on Wednesday April 28, 2021 @08:28PM
(#26975954)
Like anything, you balance the the aesthetic with the function.
When function follows form to the point where you ship say a laptop with an unserviceable keyboard that is rendered inoperable by a speck of dust, or make a smartphone surface friction similar to a stick of butter, you got a problem.
IMO the guy got bored and focused on building the museum-like HQ building and took eyes off the ball of actual products, while maintaining total control. Even for an elite, top of his field individual, you need to focus to win.
In terms of laptops, HP built some very nice high end business laptops that were more like evolutions of the 2014 MacBook Pro than the garbage Apple pumped out and wasted many millions of dollars on for warranty claims.