In a significant development that has created ripples within Apple's design team, Abidur Chowdhury, the prominent designer who played a crucial role in developing the iPhone Air, has resigned from the technology giant to join an artificial intelligence startup. The news was first reported by LA Times on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.
The High-Profile Exit
Abidur Chowdhury's departure from Apple has generated substantial internal discussion given his rising profile within the company's design team. Chowdhury wasn't just any designer - he had been selected by the California-based iPhone maker to introduce the new iPhone Air at the company's September 2025 launch event.
The launch featured a special 2-minute video where Chowdhury personally explained the design process and features of the newly launched device. Appearing in Apple's official launch videos is considered a high-profile assignment typically reserved for important figures within the company, making his exit particularly noteworthy.
Who is Abidur Chowdhury?
Abidur Chowdhury brings an impressive educational and professional background to his new venture. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Product Design and Technology from England's Loughborough University. His career began as an Industrial Design intern at Cambridge Consultants in 2015.
After spending one year in that role, Chowdhury joined Curventa as an Industrial Design intern for three months in July 2016. In August 2017, he moved to Layer Design as an Industrial Designer, remaining there until January 2018.
Following his stint at Layer Design, Chowdhury worked as a freelance industrial design consultant for approximately 13 months before finally joining Apple as an Industrial Designer in January 2019.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Abidur Chowdhury was born and raised in England and is now based in San Francisco, United States. Interestingly, as of November 18, 2025, his LinkedIn profile still shows him working at Apple, indicating he hasn't updated it following his departure.
Chowdhury's Apple Legacy and Future Implications
During his nearly seven-year tenure at Apple, Abidur Chowdhury reportedly played a key role in developing the Apple iPhone Air while also contributing significantly to the company's marketing efforts. His exit is unrelated to the debut of the iPhone Air, and according to a Bloomberg report, Apple plans to launch a second generation of the model in 2027.
Chowdhury's career at Apple began around the same time design chief Jony Ive left the company, marking the end of an era that extended back to founder Steve Jobs's period. His move to an AI startup highlights the growing intersection of design and artificial intelligence, signaling where the industry's talent is increasingly flowing.
When approached for comment, Apple's spokesperson refused to discuss the development, maintaining the company's typical secrecy around personnel matters.
