Jony Ive doesn't do things loudly. When he left Apple in 2019, the tech world had a collective panic attack. People wondered if the sleek, minimalist era of the iPhone was over. He didn't launch a massive PR campaign or buy a Super Bowl ad to announce his next move. Instead, he just started LoveFrom. You might see people searching for the Jony Ive io company because of the web domain they use, lovefrom.io. It's a weird, cryptic little corner of the internet that basically looks like a blank page with a cursor.
That’s classic Jony.
If you're looking for a traditional corporate headquarters with a sign out front and a gift shop, you aren't going to find it. LoveFrom is a creative collective. It’s a group of designers, architects, musicians, and writers. It’s less of a "company" in the Silicon Valley sense and more of a high-end guild for people who think a button should feel a certain way when you press it. Honestly, it’s kind of pretentious, but when you’ve designed the iMac, the iPod, and the Apple Park "spaceship" campus, you’ve earned the right to be a little bit extra.
Why everyone calls it the Jony Ive io company
The ".io" domain has become a shorthand for "cool tech startup," but for LoveFrom, it feels more like a digital gatekeeper. If you go to the site, you won't find a portfolio. You won't find a "Contact Us" form. You’ll see a typewriter-style font that spells out the company name. This exclusivity is the brand.
People get confused because LoveFrom isn't selling a specific product you can buy on Amazon. They are a service. They are the "hired guns" of the design world. When Marc Newson—Ive's long-time best friend and legendary designer—joined him, the industry knew this wasn't just a retirement project. They were building a powerhouse that could influence everything from luxury cars to charity rings.
The name itself comes from a conversation Ive had with Steve Jobs. Jobs believed that one of the ways you express love for humanity is by making something with great care. You may never meet the people you're making it for, but the care you put into the work is a way of saying "I love you" to the species. Hence, LoveFrom. It’s sentimental, sure, but it’s the engine behind the Jony Ive io company philosophy.
The Ferrari Partnership and the hardware shift
The biggest shocker came when LoveFrom announced a multi-year partnership with Exor, the holding company that owns Ferrari.
Think about that. The man who defined the digital aesthetic of the 21st century is now working on the ultimate physical machine. We haven't seen the "LoveFrom Ferrari" yet, but the rumors in the design community are wild. It’s not just about how the car looks. It’s about the interface. It’s about how the door handles feel. It’s about the marriage of software and leather.
Historically, car interfaces suck. They are laggy, cluttered, and distracting. Ive hates clutter. If he can bring the fluidity of iOS to a V12 engine, it could change the luxury car market forever. But it's not just cars. LoveFrom has worked with:
- Airbnb: Brian Chesky basically brought Ive in to rethink the entire user experience. They worked on the "Airbnb Categories" update, which changed how we browse for homes.
- Terra Carta: A project with King Charles III (back when he was Prince of Wales). They designed a seal for a charter that guides the private sector toward a sustainable future. It’s incredibly intricate, featuring flora and fauna, proving Ive hasn't lost his touch for traditional, non-digital art.
- Moncler: They even toyed with fashion, creating a modular jacket system that uses a single piece of fabric and magnetic buttons.
The "A.I. Device" with Sam Altman
This is where things get really interesting for 2026. For a long time, the Jony Ive io company was focused on luxury and "slow" design. But then news leaked that Ive was in talks with OpenAI’s Sam Altman.
The goal? A new piece of hardware for the A.I. era.
We’ve seen a lot of "A.I. pins" and handheld gadgets lately that have mostly flopped. They feel like half-baked prototypes. But Jony Ive doesn't do half-baked. If he is building a physical shell for ChatGPT, it’s not going to be a plastic toy. Experts like those at The Verge and The New York Times have confirmed that this project is real and heavily funded. It represents a potential return to the "mass market" for Ive, something he hasn't really touched since leaving the halls of Cupertino.
Imagine a device that doesn't have a screen. If the future of computing is voice and intent, why do we need a glowing rectangle in our pockets? Ive has often spoken about the "unintended consequences" of the iPhone—mainly, how addicted we all are to it. This new A.I. project might be his way of fixing the "problem" he helped create. A way to access the world’s information without being sucked into a doom-scrolling void.
Misconceptions about how LoveFrom works
A lot of people think LoveFrom is just Jony Ive sitting in a white room drawing circles.
In reality, it's a massive collaborative effort. When they took on the task of designing a new "Red Nose" for Comic Relief, they didn't just change the color. They engineered a folding paper structure that starts flat and pops into a sphere. It was a masterclass in materials science. That’s the "secret sauce" of the Jony Ive io company. They don't just care about the shape; they care about the molecular structure of the materials they use.
They also don't take many clients. You can't just write them a check. They pick projects that have "cultural significance." This makes them a bit of an outlier in the business world. Most design firms are scrambling for any contract they can get. LoveFrom acts more like a private art studio that occasionally decides to revolutionize an industry.
The "Hype" vs. Reality
Is LoveFrom actually changing the world, or is it just a playground for a billionaire designer?
It's a bit of both. If you look at the Apple Watch, that was Jony’s last big push at Apple. It took years for people to realize it wasn't just a gadget, but a genuine health tool. LoveFrom works on a similar timeline. They aren't interested in the "quarterly earnings" cycle. They are looking at what design looks like in 2030 or 2040.
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Critics argue that by focusing on high-end brands like Ferrari and Moncler, Ive is distancing himself from the average person. While the iPhone was expensive, it was a tool for everyone. A Ferrari is not. This shift toward "ultra-luxury" has made some tech enthusiasts feel left behind. However, the A.I. hardware project with Sam Altman suggests that the Jony Ive io company still has ambitions to touch the lives of billions, not just the 1%.
Actionable insights for observing LoveFrom's impact
If you want to understand where design is heading, don't look at the big tech keynotes. Look at the small, quiet moves this company makes.
Watch the materials. LoveFrom is obsessed with sustainability that doesn't feel "cheap." Look for how they use recycled metals or new fabrics in their collaborations. This usually filters down to cheaper consumer goods five years later.
Study the "Less is More" philosophy. In an era of infinite notifications, LoveFrom is pushing for "invisible" tech. If you are a designer or a business owner, ask yourself: "What can I take away?" That is the core lesson of the Ive era.
Keep an eye on the typeface. LoveFrom developed their own font, LoveFrom Serif. It’s inspired by John Baskerville’s work but updated for the modern eye. It shows that even the way we read text is a design choice that impacts our mood and understanding.
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The Jony Ive io company isn't going to release a "LoveFrom Phone" or a "LoveFrom Laptop." They are going to continue being the invisible hand behind the world’s most influential brands. Whether it’s a car, a charity nose, or a new way to talk to an artificial intelligence, the fingerprints of LoveFrom will be all over the future. They are proving that in a world of fast fashion and disposable tech, there is still a massive market for things that are built to last.
To stay ahead of their next move, keep a close watch on Exor's investor reports and OpenAI's hardware leaks. That's where the real "io" magic is happening. The company may be quiet, but the products they influence will eventually speak for themselves.
Next Steps for Design Enthusiasts:
- Monitor the OpenAI/LoveFrom hardware leaks: This is the most likely path to a consumer-facing product in the next 18 months.
- Analyze the Airbnb "Categories" UI: This is the most accessible example of Ive's current digital design philosophy—notice the emphasis on icons and high-quality photography over dense text.
- Check the Terra Carta website: It’s one of the few places where you can see the intricate, classic aesthetic that Ive is currently championing outside of the "minimalist" box.