iCloud AltPatrick Gates, Apple's senior director of engineering for iCloud, FaceTime, and iMessage, is leaving the company to join a stealth startup called Humane, reports The Information.

Gates has been with Apple for close to 14 years, and he took over ownership of iCloud services infrastructure after Eric Billingsly left the company in 2017.

The startup that Gates is joining, Humane, was created by former Apple employees Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno. Chaudhri is well known as the designer of the interface for the original iPhone and a former member of Apple's UI team. He was at Apple for more than 20 years before departing in 2017.

Humane is a secretive company working on "innovative technology that feels familiar, natural, and human," with the self-described mission of creating the next shift between humans and computing.

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
89 months ago
When your partner's parents ask what you do for a living, but you design sex-bots…

Humane ('https://hu.ma.ne') is a secretive company working on "innovative technology that feels familiar, natural, and human," with the self-described mission of creating the next shift between humans and computing.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mccaffertee Avatar
89 months ago
Apple has got fat and lazy and doesn’t seem to have a razor sharp focus anymore. Look how little progress there has been made from 2012 till now.
I became an Apple guy after I purchased a 17" MacBook Pro in 2003 and was mezmorized by the culture and cool factor. So, I got the Airport router, then the Airport Express so I could sit outside on the deck, then an iPod for exercising, then a monitor, keyboard and mouse setup for my office, then an iPad, then iMac for home office, then a MacBook Pro for the wife, then an Apple TV, and another iPad, and the Time Capsule backup drive, and the iPhone, and another for the wife. The apps all synchronized and made it so simple for my wife. I bought my mom and MacBook, I convinced friends to switch. And every year, we spent big $$$$$ to have the latest and greatest Apple toys. They were different, they looked cool...I kept up-to-date with everything Apple, I couldn't wait for the newest OS to drop, or to see what the heck they would invent next, or how cool they could design the next big thing.

I found Mac Rumors and made it more important than the news with hopes to get a peek at the "next big thing" and to learn the tips and tricks (because Apple never gives us features instructions), but we didn't care...half the fun was figuring it out. The box that the hardware came in was off-the-charts cool. And, most importantly, because "It Just Worked"

Today, well, I could care less. I am either burnt out on Apple, or they have lost their MoJo...there's no routers, no backup capsule, no monitors, no airport. My new iPhone XS looks like my kids friends old iPhone 6. And the new MacBook Pro looks like my old MacBook Pro from 2012, so who cares. I spent money to stay in the Apple Eco-System, but if the majority of the Eco-System isn't available anymore, WHY should I spend double on a MacBook Pro if I need to buy a different brand router, and etc.... but hey, they are developing some secret electric car.

October 06, 2011... the beginning of the end.
Apple has been riding out the momentum of prior innovation and banked lots of cash.
I say great job alienating the core customer base.
:(
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
9081094 Avatar
89 months ago
Can’t blame them for leaving. Apple has got fat and lazy and doesn’t seem to have a razor sharp focus anymore. I’ll bet that there are too many restrictions at Apple to be innovative or being able to stand above the crowd.

Look how little progress there has been made from 2012 till now. Competitors have caught up to Apple and on many fronts leapfrogged Apple in areas where it once was king.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eatrains Avatar
89 months ago
Look how little progress there has been made from 2012 till now. Competitors have caught up to Apple and on many fronts leapfrogged Apple in areas where it once was king.
Not really. Google is nowhere near matching iMessage. Microsoft is struggling to cobble together a Handoff/Continuity knockoff. Nothing is as seamless as iCloud Backup.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
9081094 Avatar
89 months ago
I became an Apple guy after I purchased a 17" MacBook Pro in 2003 and was mezmorized by the culture and cool factor. So, I got the Airport router, then the Airport Express so I could sit outside on the deck, then an iPod for exercising, then a monitor, keyboard and mouse setup for my office, then an iPad, then iMac for home office, then a MacBook Pro for the wife, then an Apple TV, and another iPad, and the Time Capsule backup drive, and the iPhone, and another for the wife. The apps all synchronized and made it so simple for my wife. I bought my mom and MacBook, I convinced friends to switch. And every year, we spent big $$$$$ to have the latest and greatest Apple toys. They were different, they looked cool...I kept up-to-date with everything Apple, I couldn't wait for the newest OS to drop, or to see what the heck they would invent next, or how cool they could design the next big thing.

I found Mac Rumors and made it more important than the news with hopes to get a peek at the "next big thing" and to learn the tips and tricks (because Apple never gives us features instructions), but we didn't care...half the fun was figuring it out. The box that the hardware came in was off-the-charts cool. And, most importantly, because "It Just Worked"

Today, well, I could care less. I am either burnt out on Apple, or they have lost their MoJo...there's no routers, no backup capsule, no monitors, no airport. My new iPhone XS looks like my kids friends old iPhone 6. And the new MacBook Pro looks like my old MacBook Pro from 2012, so who cares. I spent money to stay in the Apple Eco-System, but if the majority of the Eco-System isn't available anymore, WHY should I spend double on a MacBook Pro if I need to buy a different brand router, and etc.... but hey, they are developing some secret electric car.

October 06, 2011... the beginning of the end.
Apple has been riding out the momentum of prior innovation and banked lots of cash.
I say great job alienating the core customer base.
:(
I hear you and sadly I could copy your writing. Apple has left us and their soul has gone. It has become a money focused company and I’m glad they’re struggling at the moment. This correction is coming years late and I’m afraid this wake up call is to late too. They’re getting behind on all important technology fronts. Years of neglect won’t get overhauled easy.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
89 months ago
Not sure why but Humane sounds really creepy to me.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
Apple Logo Spotlight

Report: Apple to Launch These New Products in 2026

Sunday November 2, 2025 5:34 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch at least 15 new products in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman outlined what to expect from Apple in 2026 in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. He said the company is heading "into one of its most pivotal years in recent memory," with the rollout of major new Apple Intelligence features, intense regulatory pressure on the App Store,...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

New Version of Siri to 'Lean' on Google Gemini

Sunday November 2, 2025 6:06 am PST by
In his "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today provided an update on the status of Apple Intelligence and the plans for it in 2026. Apple is still planning to roll out its revamped version of Siri around March of next year. The release should be accompanied by the release of a new smart home display product with speaker-base and wall-mount options. A new Apple TV and HomePod...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
Apple Foldable Thumb

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Friday October 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far. Ove...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Likely Launching Soon

Sunday November 2, 2025 5:49 am PST by
A new Apple TV and HomePod mini could launch as soon as this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today suggested. In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple retail stores are planning an overnight refresh on the evening of November 11, where changes will be made after closing, such as refreshing displays and placing new products for the following day. The timing of the overnight...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock 1

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Friday October 31, 2025 8:28 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker. The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy. The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...