Apple Watch News: Marc Newson Hired By Apple Before 2015 Release

Apple is slowly gearing up for their launch of the highly anticipated Apple Watch. It was announced on Monday that Jony Ive, Apple's president of design, had hired on longtime friend and designer Marc Newson. Newson is an innovative industrial designer who has worked on numerous futuristic projects like concept cars and airliner interiors. Ive and Newson last teamed up for the RED auction charity event that was organized by Bono to raise money for AIDS victims in Africa.

With Newson joining the Apple team, it can only spell that the Apple Watch is no longer just an Apple users' dream. Newson has designed numerous watches in the past, and if his services are being requested, than Apple must be in the design phase of the product.

Ive's decision to bring Newson onboard is an immolation of the same tactic that Steve Jobs used on Ive's when he challenged him to "think different." Ive and Newson have very different styles of design, but being such great friends they are able to push each other and collaborate in design techniques. In an interview with Charlie Rose last year, Newson said, "Jony and I sort of collaborate without even having to think about collaborating. We talk about this stuff all the time anyway."

"Newson's most relevant product would be the watches. That was before Ive was doing iPhones that made smartphones into jewelry," said Deyan Sudjic, director of the Design Museum in London.

Sudjic went on to tell the BBC, "The thing about Marc Newson's work is that he has a slightly more hedonistic strand, it is more playful. Where Jonathan Ive is the roundhead, Marc Newson is the cavalier."

When asked about bringing on Marc Newson to the Apple team, Ive's had nothing but good remarks to say about collaborating on the Apple Watch. "Marc is without question one of the most influential designers of this generation. He is extraordinarily talented. We are particularly excited to formalize our collaboration as we enjoy working together so much and have found our partnership so effective," Ive's told the BBC.