Liquid Glass design executive Alan Dye is leaving AppleSkip NavigationMarketsPre-MarketsU.S. MarketsCurrenciesCryptocurrencyFutures & CommoditiesBondsFunds & ETFsBusinessEconomyFinanceHealth & ScienceMediaReal EstateEnergyClimateTransportationIndustrialsRetailWealthSportsLifeSmall BusinessInvestingPersonal FinanceFintechFinancial AdvisorsOptions ActionETF StreetBuffett ArchiveEarningsTrader TalkTechCybersecurityAIEnterpriseInternetMediaMobileSocial MediaCNBC Disruptor 50Tech GuidePoliticsWhite HousePolicyDefenseCongressExpanding OpportunityVideoLatest VideoFull EpisodesLivestreamLive AudioLive TV ScheduleCNBC PodcastsCEO InterviewsCNBC DocumentariesDigital OriginalsWatchlistInvesting ClubTrust PortfolioAnalysisTrade AlertsMeeting VideosHomestretchJim's ColumnsEducationSubscribePROPro NewsJosh BrownMike SantoliCalls of the DayMy PortfolioLivestreamFull EpisodesStock ScreenerMarket ForecastOptions InvestingChart InvestingSubscribeLivestreamMenuMake ItselectUSAINTLLivestreamSearch quotes, news & videosLivestreamWatchlistSIGN INCreate free accountMarketsBusinessInvestingTechPoliticsVideoWatchlistInvesting ClubPROLivestreamMenuTechDesign executive behind 'Liquid Glass' is leaving ApplePublished Wed, Dec 3 20254:17 PM ESTUpdated 4 Hours AgoKif Leswing@kifleswingWATCH LIVEKey PointsApple's head of user interface design, Alan Dye, is leaving the company and will reportedly join Meta.Dye revealed the June redesign of Apple's software interface for iPhones, Macs, and Apple Watch called Liquid Glass. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a Wednesday social media post said that Dye would lead up a new creative studio that brings together design, fashion and technology. In this articleMETAAAPLFollow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNTFile: Then Apple Creative Director Alan Dye celebrates the launch of the July Issue at the new WIRED office on June 24, 2015 in San Francisco, California.Kimberly White | Getty ImagesApple's head of user interface design, Alan Dye, will join Meta, in a notable shift of executive talent in Silicon Valley. The iPhone maker confirmed Dye's departure on Wednesday and Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement that the company prioritizes design and has a strong team. The statement said that veteran designer Stephen Lemay will succeed Dye."Steve Lemay has played a key role in the design of every major Apple interface since 1999," Cook said in a statement. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a Wednesday social media post said that Dye would lead up a new creative studio that brings together design, fashion and technology. "We plan to elevate design within Meta," wrote Zuckerberg, who did not say what specific products Dye will work on. Compared to other Silicon Valley companies, Apple has always emphasized design to customers and investors as one of its strengths. Apple prominently features its design executives to discuss interface changes at the company's launch events.In June, Dye revealed a redesign of Apple's software interface for iPhones, Macs and the Apple Watch called Liquid Glass. The company described it as an "elegant" new design with translucent buttons, updated app icons and fluid animations. Dye said it was the "next chapter" of the company's software and said it "sets the stage" for the next era of Apple products. "Our new design blurs the lines between hardware and software to create an experience that's more delightful than ever while still familiar and easy to use," Dye said at the launch. Reviews were mixed on the Liquid Glass update, which shipped with new iPhones in September. Apple announces liquid glass during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9, 2025 in Cupertino, California.Justin Sullivan | Getty ImagesFor years, Apple design was embodied by executive Jony Ive, who left Apple in 2019 and is now working with OpenAI on artificial intelligence hardware alongside Sam Altman. Dye took over user interface design and became one of the design studio's leads in 2015 when Ive stepped back from a day-to-day role. Dye started at Apple in 2006 and worked on software for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Vision Pro, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was also partly responsible for the first iPhone in 2017 that did away with the home screen button at the bottom of the device and replaced it with a software-based swipe-up motion. Meta has said in recent years that it wants to be a major developer of hardware and Zuckerberg has said Apple is one of his company's biggest competitors. The social media company currently makes several virtual reality headsets under its Quest brand, and recently scored its first hardware hit with Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, which are stylish sunglasses equipped with cameras and the ability to run an AI model that can answer questions. Sales of the device tripled over the past year, Ray-Ban parent company EssilorLuxottica said in July. "We're entering a new era where AI glasses and other devices will change how we connect with technology and each other," Zuckerberg wrote.Bloomberg first reported the move. 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Alan Dye, Apple’s head of user interface design, is departing the company to join Meta, signaling a notable shift in executive talent within the technology industry. This departure follows Dye’s leadership in unveiling Apple’s “Liquid Glass” redesign, a significant update to the company’s software interface across iPhones, Macs, and the Apple Watch. The move underscores a strategic repositioning by Meta, demonstrating a clear intent to bolster its design capabilities and compete more directly with Apple.

Following years of prioritizing design under Jony Ive’s leadership, Apple is transitioning with Steve Lemay assuming the role of head of user interface design. Lemay, a veteran designer who joined Apple in 1999, has been integral to the design of numerous major Apple interfaces, highlighting Apple's ongoing commitment to design. However, Meta’s acquisition of Dye indicates a calculated move to incorporate a fresh perspective and accelerate its design initiatives.

The “Liquid Glass” redesign, revealed in June 2025, represented a deliberate effort by Apple to create a more “elegant” and visually fluid user experience. Key features included translucent buttons, updated app icons, and seamless animations. At the time, Alan Dye emphasized that the update signified “the next chapter” of Apple’s software and “sets the stage” for the company’s future product development. Despite this ambitious introduction, the update received mixed reviews upon its release with new iPhones in September.

Prior to joining Meta, Alan Dye’s tenure at Apple spanned from 2006, where he contributed to software development for devices including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and the Vision Pro. Notably, he played a key role in the redesign of the first iPhone in 2017, notable for its elimination of the home screen button and the introduction of a swipe-up motion.

Meta’s strategic interest in Dye’s expertise coincides with a broader push by the company to develop hardware and compete with Apple. Meta’s investments in virtual reality (through the Quest brand) and recent success with Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses—which have experienced a tripling of sales within a year—signal a tangible commitment to innovation in wearable technology and artificial intelligence. Mark Zuckerberg frames this shift as entering “a new era where AI glasses and other devices will change how we connect with technology and each other.”