The project’s details are unclear, and may not even happen. However, according to The Information, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son has also been involved in the discussions.

The news has been greeted with horror by the Tame Apple Press, who fear that Ive might develop an original-looking AI phone showing how bad things have become in Apple land.  Apple’s designs have become lacklustre, and it has not come up with an answer to AI.

Ive left Apple in 2019 to create his independent design consultancy, LoveFrom, following nearly three decades at the company. While going independent has allowed Ive to work with other companies, the firm he founded was still connected to Apple for a time.

In 2022,  it was revealed that Ive was no longer consulting with Apple.