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Thanks to a lengthy, highly-praised New Yorker about Apple鈥檚 chief of design Jony Ive, Star Wars fans now have a little more insight into how the new lightsaber design became a reality.

When the trailer for 鈥�Star Wars: The Force Awakens鈥� was released last November, it generated an Internet storm. Of all the rumors and commentary that came from the trailer, the new lightsaber made some of the biggest waves in the Star Wars universe. Even dedicated a segment of his show to the new design. The teaser left a lot to the imagination and fans were left to as being a reason for the saber鈥檚 texture, along with weighing the pro and cons of the cross guards.

But according to the New Yorker, night with friends was the main influence for the innovations.

[Director JJ] Abrams recalled as 鈥渧ery specific鈥� suggestions about the design of lightsabres. Abrams told me that 鈥淪tar Wars: The Force Awakens鈥� would reflect those thoughts, but he wouldn鈥檛 say how. After the release of the film鈥檚 first trailer鈥攚hich featured a fiery new lightsabre, with a cross guard, and a resemblance to a burning crucifix鈥擨 asked Ive about his contribution. 鈥淚t was just a conversation,鈥� he said, then explained that, although he鈥檇 said nothing about cross guards, he had made a case for unevenness: 鈥淚 thought it would be interesting if it were less precise, and just a little bit more spitty.鈥� A redesigned weapon could be 鈥渕ore analog and more primitive, and I think, in that way, somehow more ominous.

The new lightsaber may not run on iOS, but Apple and Mr. Ive鈥檚 imprint has been left on the series. There is little reason this should influence fandom around either enterprise, but it is an interesting tidbit for future trivia nights. The article does go on to discuss some rare insight behind-the-scenes of Apple.聽

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will open in movie theaters on聽December 18.