In September 2025, Apple introduced its slimmest phone yet, the iPhone Air, during its annual product launch. Amid the usual fanfare and keynote announcements, one name grabbed attention: Abidur Chowdhury, the industrial designer who is credited with the device’s design. Reports hail him as the mind behind many of the Air’s standout features including an ultra-thin body, premium materials and sleek aesthetics but who is he, really, and what do we know so far?Abidur Chowdhury is a rising face in tech design, currently in the spotlight for Apple’s iPhone Air, which is notable for its slim profile, premium materials and performance ambitions. While much about his biography and exact contributions is based on journalism rather than official confirmation, certain core facts are well supported like his UK education in product design, early career in UK design firms, joining Apple in 2019 and now being publicly credited with the Air’s design reveal.
Early life and education
Chowdhury was born and raised in London, United Kingdom where he studied Product Design and Technology at Loughborough University, a well-regarded design and engineering school in the UK. During his university years, he won several awards including the 3D Hubs Student Grant, the James Dyson Foundation Bursary, the Kenwood Appliances Award and New Designers Kenwood Appliances Award and a Red Dot Design Award in 2016 for his project “Plug and Play.” Some reports say he is of Bangladeshi origin, though exactly how this heritage is established is not fully documented yet. The exact timeline of his schooling (when he graduated) is not yet reported.
Career path before Apple
Internships and early design work of Chowdhury included roles with UK firms such as Cambridge Consultants and Curventa, plus a stint at Layer Design in London. For a brief period (2018-2019), he operated his own consultancy called Abidur Chowdhury Design, collaborating with agencies, start-ups and design projects. In January 2019, he is reported to have joined Apple’s industrial design team in California. The exact roles he held inside Apple prior to the iPhone Air project (which products he contributed to, or whether he led other designs) are not deeply documented in public sources. However, the iPhone Air by Apple was presented on stage by Abidur Chowdhury, which is unusual in Apple events as sometimes, the designers remain behind the scenes. He reportedly described the product as “the thinnest iPhone ever, with the power of Pro inside. A paradox you have to hold to believe.” His appearance onstage highlights a shift: Apple seems more willing to spotlight individual designers, not just executives. That could inspire more young designers globally. The iPhone Air’s ultra-thin design challenges engineering constraints (battery life, durability, heat), so delivering a device that balances thinness and performance is a major technical feat. Chowdhury’s background (UK education, design awards, multicultural origin) may resonate as a role model for design students, especially those from underrepresented communities.Chowdhury’s awards and academic distinctions appear to have built credibility in his early career (e.g. Red Dot Award). For design students, submitting work to competitions and building a portfolio can matter. Interning, consulting, freelancing before joining a big company (Apple) is common as varied experiences help build skills.Abidur Chowdhury represents the blending of global education, design excellence and emerging visibility in tech roles. As more verified details emerge (from Apple or reliable tech-analysis sources), we will know more precisely how much of the design and engineering was directly his vs part of a team but even now, his story holds lessons of talent, hard work, awards and seizing opportunities that can lead to recognition even in big, secretive companies like Apple.
