Meta has secured a trophy hire by recruiting Alan Dye, Apple’s design chief, to join Reality Labs. Dye will officially join Meta on December 31st after nearly 20 years at Apple, where he served as chief of user interface design since 2015. Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed the departure and named Stephen Lemay as Dye’s successor.
Mark Zuckerberg announced the creation of a creative studio within Reality Labs that will be led by Dye. According to the Meta CEO’s post on Threads, this studio will focus on combining design, fashion, and technology. This represents a strategic investment by Meta in strengthening its design capabilities.
The new studio will assemble talented individuals with exceptional skills across multiple disciplines. Zuckerberg emphasized that the objective is to create iconic products that seamlessly integrate hardware and software while delivering intuitive user experiences. Dye will work directly under Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, giving him significant strategic influence.
Zuckerberg painted a picture of an emerging era where AI glasses and other devices will reshape connectivity. He stressed that the new studio will focus on creating thoughtful and meaningful interactions. This trophy hire demonstrates Meta’s determination to compete on design excellence and its ambition to challenge established players in markets where user experience is paramount.