Apple is giving iPhone designers rare bonuses, and OpenAI may be the reason why

2026-03-27 - 13:50

Apple has handed out rare, out-of-cycle bonuses worth $200,000 to $400,000 to its iPhone Product Design team, in a bid to slow a sustained exodus of hardware talent to AI startups. The restricted stock units vest over four years, tying designers to the company through the payout period. The move comes as multiple startups—including ones backed by former Apple design legends—aggressively recruit the engineers behind Apple's most iconic products.