Apple is known for its high-quality products and has billions of users worldwide. The tech giant launches a new iPhone every year and the excitement for the iPhone 16 is quite high. But what if we tell you that the person who led Apple’s product design for years loves Apple Watch the most and not the iPhone?

Apple’s legendary former design chief Jony Ive said in an interview that the product that really made an impact on him is the Apple Watch. In a recent podcast episode of “Life in Seven Songs,” Ive said, “I’m proud of what we did with the Watch because it’s something I started after Steve (Jobs) passed away.

Three years after Jobs’ death, Apple introduced the Apple Watch, its first foray into wearable technology. Launched in 2014, the watch has seen nine generations so far.

Ive highlighted the unique personal connection people have with the Apple Watch. He said Apple products have evolved from “sitting on your desk to being in your bag, then in your pocket and finally on your wrist”. According to Ive, the shift towards wearable devices has created a different kind of relationship with the user, as these devices are more intimate and personal.

He also expressed his long-standing fascination with watches, making the Apple Watch a particularly interesting project for him. “I’ve always loved watches,” he said, adding, “So as a category, I think it’s an interesting category.”

During the same interview, Ive also reflected on his decades-long career at the tech giant, saying his most gratifying years were spent working with the late co-founder. Ive, who joined Apple in 1992, shared insights about how his upbringing nurtured his creative abilities, which he later honed while shaping the design of iconic products such as the iPhone, iPad, AirPods, and MacBook. Despite starting his tenure during Jobs’ absence from the company, he said it was a privilege to meet five years later that ignited the creative synergy between the two.

Ive said, “I think it was a feeling that was between the two of us, that it was a wonderful combination.” He then added that his years working with Jobs at Apple from 1997 to 2011 were “the most joyous and extraordinary 15 years of his life.” In contrast to his earlier years at Apple without Jobs, Ive noted that the learning process under Jobs’ leadership became more focused and transparent, with a clear emphasis on his creative efforts.

For those who don’t know, Ive once held the position of Chief Design Officer at Apple and played a key role in creating products like MacBook, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods. Ive, who joined Apple at the young age of 25, worked with Steve Jobs to turn the struggling company into a powerhouse of innovation and design. After a stellar career at Apple, Ive founded his own design firm, LoveFrom, based in San Francisco, in 2019.