An open letter to Sam Altman and Jony Ive

Dear Sam and Jony,

The news that you will be joining forces has captured the world’s attention. Congratulations! We’re excited that you’re aiming to invent the next generation of personal electronics.

The internet is awash with rumors that your new device will be compact, wearable, and packed with sensors. Jony, for you, this is nothing new. Your revolutionary invention of the Apple Watch, iPod, and iPhone seamlessly integrated electronics into our lives, and your brilliant distillation of bulky technology into elegant design changed the way we interact with technology forever. 

But these devices had another, unintentional legacy. Do you still have an original Apple Watch that works? We don’t, either. When’s the last time you saw someone using an iPod? Many of us would love a way to listen to music without being tethered to our phones. But the batteries in our iPods wore out.

For too long now, portable devices have been cursed with short lifespans. Glued-in batteries and limited repairability have cast hundreds of millions of iPods and AirPods into drawers, cupboards, and landfills.

This is bad news for the environment since it means that devices miss out on a second life. It also makes these products more exclusionary by limiting them to those who can afford to buy brand new.

Jony, this is your chance to herald in a new era of long-lasting design.

Sam, this is your chance to help shape a future without waste.

We know you will build something that we will love to use. Our challenge to you is to make it something we can love for years and years to come.

Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past. We implore you to lead by example and create a device for everyone, present and future.

Let’s end fast tech, together.

Want help? You know where to find us!

Thanks,

Thibaud & Kyle