Working closely with Jobs during their tenure together at Apple, Ive played a vital role in the designs of the iMac, Power Mac G4 Cube, iPod, iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and the user interface of Apple's mobile operating system iOS, among other products.

[4] After leaving Tangerine to join Apple full time, he began designing the decade's PowerBooks and Macs, finally taking up US citizenship in 2012 to become a dual British-American national.

[5][1] He was invited to join the Royal College of Art in May 2017 as its head-of-college, serving a fixed five-year term until May 2022.

[11] According to a March 2014 interview with Time, "It was his teenage love of cars that made Ive decide to become a designer.

[14] After returning to England six weeks later, Ive interned at product design agency Roberts Weaver Group (his college sponsor) where he impressed executives with a pronounced attention to detail and work ethic.

[14] After a year with Roberts Weaver, Ive joined a London-based design agency called Tangerine, located in Hoxton Square.

[16] He designed a diverse array of products, such as microwave ovens, toilets, drills and toothbrushes for clients including LG and Ideal Standard.

[17] However, he became frustrated after he designed a toilet, bidet, and sink for Ideal Standard, and the company rejected the work, stating that the products were too costly and looked too modern.

Ive worked on "Project Juggernaut" for Apple, investigating the future of portable computers and setting the stage for what would become the PowerBook.

[14] His first major assignment in Apple's Industrial Design Group regarded the second generation of the Newton and the MessagePad 110.

[17] Steve Jobs, who left in 1985 after being pushed away by John Sculley, was staging a return to the company and recruited Ive to join him in taking the firm in a different direction.

[9] Ive's first assignment in this capacity was the iMac, introduced in 1998 (he is credited with designing its translucent plastic case).

"[17] Ive became the first human to make a public phone call with Jobs after he introduced the iPhone on 9 January 2007.

[b] It was reported that Ive's desire for keeping the products as thin as possible may have led to the mechanically fragile butterfly keyboard[21] and removing the Magsafe power connector, HDMI port, and SD card reader from the MacBook.

[10] On 29 October 2012, Apple announced that Ive would "provide leadership and direction for Human Interface (HI) across the company in addition to his role as the leader of Industrial Design.

"[30] With the 2013 World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) announcement of iOS 7 and Ive's role as principal, Apple press information was also updated to reflect his new title: senior vice president of design.

[30] In the same press update, Ive stated that he hoped his best work was yet to emerge and that he preferred to be identified as a maker of products, rather than a designer.

[31] On 8 December 2017, Apple announced that Ive would resume direct responsibility for the company's product design.

[45][46] In 2024, it was reported that LoveFrom was working with tech firm OpenAI to develop hardware focused on artificial intelligence, though details are scarce.

On 25 May 2017, Ive was appointed Chancellor of the RCA in London, effective 1 July 2017, succeeding Sir James Dyson.

[49] Ive said of the appointment: "I am thrilled to formalise my relationship with the RCA, given the profound influence the college has had on so many of the artists and designers that I admire.

[9][10] It is estimated that Ive first shaved his head in a tight buzzcut and coupled it with stubble when, in 2001, aged 34, he was promoted to vice president of industrial design at Apple.

[54] Known for its minimalist look,[54][14] it has inspired Halloween costumes,[55] grooming regimens, and a small-scale fashion movement, among other things.

[9] Ive's voice, used in Apple's marketing and promotional videos since 1994, has been noted for its Essex accent and reserved style of speech.

[70] He frequently attends auto shows and exhibitions such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he serves as a jury member for competitions.

[58] Ive has designed products for charitable causes, including a one-off Leica camera that set a world record auction price[73] and a Jaeger-LeCoultre sports watch — one of only three — for an HIV/AIDS charity.

[17] During this auction, Ive and fellow designer Marc Newson raised $13 million for Bono's Product Red charity.

[75][76] He also designed the emblem for the coronation of Charles III, which features a rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock— traditional symbols representing the four parts of the United Kingdom – in the shape of St Edward's Crown.