Who is Alan Dye? The designer behind iOS7, Apple Watch UI and Liquid Glass who Meta poached

Alan Dye, one of Apple’s most influential design executives and a key figure behind several of the company’s landmark interface and hardware experiences since the Steve Jobs era, is leaving the tech giant to join Meta Platforms, according to reports from Bloomberg and CNBC. Bloomberg first reported that Mark Zuckerberg’s company had successfully poached Dye, a move later confirmed by Apple, which stated that longtime designer Stephen Lemay would assume his responsibilities.

Dye began his Apple career in 2006 under Steve Jobs, initially focusing on packaging and the unboxing experience—an area Apple Design described on X as shaping a customer’s first impressions of the brand. His role expanded significantly over the years. In 2013, during Tim Cook’s leadership, he helped guide the redesign of the flat user interface in iOS7, overseeing icons, typography and layout. Two years later, in 2015, he became head of Apple’s user interface design team and served as the core leader of the Apple Watch UI, working on watch faces, small-screen UX and overall interface behaviour.

His work continued to define Apple’s most visible consumer experiences. In 2022, he co-led the creation of Dynamic Island, a feature the company said blurred the boundaries between hardware and software. In 2023, he oversaw UI design for spatial computing and contributed to making Apple Vision Pro wearers’ eyes visible externally. The following year, he helped execute the Vision Pro launch by integrating eye and hand interaction systems with immersive design. In 2025, he led the development of Liquid Glass, described by Apple as the company’s largest cross-platform UI refresh, unifying the design language across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS.

Apple Design posted a tribute summarising his trajectory, outlining his evolution from crafting product boxes to spearheading major interface transformations across the company’s ecosystem.

Bloomberg reported that Meta has placed Dye in charge of design for hardware, software and AI-driven interfaces. In a post on 3 December, Mark Zuckerberg stated that Dye would lead a new creative studio and outlined Meta’s intention to elevate its design capabilities, though he did not disclose further details. Beginning 31 December as chief design officer, Dye will focus primarily on revamping Meta’s consumer devices with AI features and will report to Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth, who oversees Reality Labs, responsible for the company’s wearables including VR headsets and smart glasses.

Joining Dye at Meta is Billy Sorrentino, a senior director from Apple’s design team who has been with the company since 2016. Existing Meta design leaders Joshua To, Jason Rubin and Peter Bristol will report to Dye. Bloomberg described the hiring as a major coup for Meta, reinforcing its ambitions in AI-integrated consumer hardware.