It’s hard to think of a bigger U-turn for Jony Ive.
Does Ive use aluminum?
Is there a single, hard-to-interpret button?
The Linn LP12-50, designed by Jony Ive.Linn
Check, check, check!
Apple is a unique place to be a designer, especially one as detail-oriented as Ive.
Those days have gone, but Ive’s signature look has not.
That single button designed by Jony Ive.Linn
Let’s take a look at it and wonder about just who might buy such a thing.
The total price tag is unreal.
Instead, he has designed a new switch and some cool aluminum hinges.
The regular Sondek has a familiar rocker switch to switch it on.
The Ive 50th Anniversary version switches this out for an inscrutable circular pushbutton with red and green LEDs.
This button also lets you switch speeds from 33 1/3 rpm to 45 rpm.
The $64,000 Question
But who is going to buy this thing?
That’s a lot of money left over for upgrades.
Leica also makes all-analog devices with designs that date back decades; beautifully-built cameras with prices to match.
“Vinyl is more about self-expression than utility.
This isn’t Ive’s first dabbling with luxury goods.
And Ive has also been hobnobbing with royalty, designing various crests for King Charles.
Unlike those Apple Watches, though, this Linn Sondek will probably last as long as the owner.
But is it worth more than $60K?
