Tomas Chlebek Danny Coster, one of the lesser-known but important members of Apple's design team, is leaving the company after more than twenty years. He will become VP of design at GoPro.
During his long career at Apple, Danny Coster helped create some of the most iconic designs of the past few decades. Coster was behind the creation of such products as the first iMac, iPhone and iPad. Although the exact composition of Apple's design team and the roles of its individual members are not publicly known, Coster's name stands, often alongside Jony Ive and Steve Jobs, on dozens of company patents.
The information about Coster's departure is also significant because the composition of Apple's design team changes very rarely. This team has always been seen as a close-knit group of people that can take years to get to grips with. However, the last publicly known change in the team took place quite recently, in May of last year. However, it was not a departure. Jony Ive then left his role as senior vice president of design and was instead appointed design director of the company.
One of the reasons for Coster's departure from Apple is suggested in an interview last month, in which he said, "Sometimes it seems too daunting because the pressure on me tends to be too much." In the interview, Coster also expressed a desire to spend more time with his family and children.
So he may see the position at GoPro, a much smaller company, as less demanding and perhaps even providing a new perspective. The employment of an important designer from Apple is certainly perspective for GoPro, which has been struggling with a decline in customer interest in its products in the past year.
