Lyon shared the news in an interview with TechCrunch, where he said that he moved on to Astra because he was interested in Astra's vision as it works on small satellite deployment. "I think the Astra vision is this magical combination of fundamentally taking the rocket science out of space. How do you do that? Well, you better have a great foundation of a team, and a great foundation of core technologies that you can bring together in order to make a compelling series of products," he said.
Prior to leaving Apple, Lyon worked on the iPhone, input devices and sensor hardware, and finally, the Apple Car. In 2016, he was working under Bob Mansfield, but Apple Car leadership has since shifted to AI chief John Giannandrea. Prior to leaving Apple, Lyon was reporting to Doug Field, the former Tesla engineer serving as vice president on the project.
Lyon has been on the Apple Car team since 2014, and according to Bloomberg, weathered all of the changes in leadership until moving on to Astra this year.
Tuesday October 6, 2026 12:59 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Since 2023, Apple's newer iPhones have had an 80 percent charge limit for those who want to extend battery lifespan. Charging to 80 percent instead of 100 percent is supposed to put less stress on the battery, improving longevity.
For the last three years, I've used that setting on my iPhone. I started with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, then did the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and most recently, the iPhone...
Thursday October 8, 2026 9:04 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today announced an upcoming product launch that will take place on Tuesday, October 13. We are expecting Apple's announcement to focus on new smart home products, including the long-rumored smart home hub, a new Apple TV 4K, and a refreshed HomePod mini.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The home hub is an all-new device that's like a cross between an iPad and...
Thursday October 8, 2026 1:31 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple will introduce new OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro models and an OLED iPad mini "on or around" Tuesday, October 27, reports Bloomberg. The launch will also include an M6 14-inch MacBook Pro and an M6 iMac.
The October 27 follows Apple's October 13 debut of a new smart home hub, a revamped Apple TV 4K, and a refreshed HomePod mini. Earlier this month, MacRumors reported that Apple would do ...
well, given that they are working on this presumably for 5,6,7 or so yeas, I am sure that plans have changed jut as often and people get fed up with situations like that, not saying it's the case for this specific one ...
If I live long enough to see a Jetsons car come to fruition, I will be happy. lol Make it happen Apple.
When I read news like these sometimes I wonder if working for years on a project of which you cannot speak with anybody has something to do with the decision. Purely from a human, psychological, point of view. I think it can be frustrating at times to apply everything you know to something no one has seen and maybe won’t for a longtime
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
