So, I’ve decided to leave Apple at the end of September, marking a total of 12 years including my time in Tokyo for visa applications. Looking back, it’s been quite a long ride. A full zodiac cycle has passed, meaning kids who started elementary school are now graduating high school.
The reasons are varied, but one factor is that my child’s compulsory education has ended, providing a natural milestone. Also, simply put, there were fewer tasks left to tackle. Even without bias, things have become entirely different compared to the "Pachinko Gundam Station" era. It wasn’t just about surface-level UX; witnessing the company's drive across backend, ops, and every other layer was truly a privilege.
The first image is a screenshot from 2012 during the Pachinko Gundam controversy. The second is the same location today in 2026.
You might ask, why not look for new challenges? At Apple, employees are effectively prohibited from creating and releasing their own products due to conflict-of-interest rules. The only acceptable hobbies seem to be playing guitar or writing books—which is why I wrote a book. But with the current AI wave, the ability to turn ideas into reality faster than ever before in human history made staying still unbearable. This is likely the main reason. When I joined, and now when I’m leaving, I followed my motto from Mr. Miyasaka: "When in doubt, go wild."
That said, I don’t have a concrete plan yet. I’ll explore interesting projects by working through accumulated ideas. I also hope to take on freelance work that I couldn’t openly pursue while employed. I won’t be moving to Japan permanently; my base will remain in the Bay Area, though I’ll visit Japan more often. Thank you for your continued support.
