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Tag: job posting

  • Apple job postings, logs hint towards Siri integration in upcoming OS X 10.9 operating system, iLife, iWork suites

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    Sometimes it’s the job postings that give the future away.

    Per MacRumors, builds of Apple’s upcoming OS X 10.9 have been appearing in site logs since November, the logs hinting at possible Siri integration into the operating system.

    A recent Apple job posting reinforces the rumor that Siri might be bundled with the next version of OS X. In its listing for a Siri UI Engineer, Apple specifies that candidates should possess “Familiarity with Unix, especially Mac OS X” and a “Passion for the Macintosh platform and writing simple, elegant software that is easy and fun to use.”

    The listing, which does not include a specification for experience with iOS aside from knowledge of Apple’s development APIs, states that the engineer will be in charge of implementing the content that appears within Siri’s conversational view. The position will also require collaboration with other Siri teams.

    To quote the posting:
    “This is a broad-ranging task – we take every application that Siri interacts with, distill it down to fundamentals, and implement that application’s UI in a theme fitting with Siri. Consider it an entire miniature OS within the OS, and you get a good idea of the scope!

    Of course, each of these little “snippets” corresponds to an individual application, so you will have extensive cross-functional work with many other teams. You’ll need to work with them to enable access to their data and behaviors, and wire them up to your implementations. As a result, strong API design is needed to keep communications ideal.”

    As of mid-January, OS X 10.9 activity has increased considerably, suggesting the new operating system, with Siri included, may be imminent.

    Job postings for Apple’s iLife/iWork team also surfaced this week. iWork’s last major update was in 2009, while iLife was last updated in 2010. An overhaul of the apps could potentially include Siri integration, allowing for voice commands for simple tasks such as photo and music editing.

    Apple has been upgrading OS X on a yearly basis. 10.8 Mountain Lion was released in July of 2012, a year after 10.7 Lion was released in July of 2011. The first developer preview of OS X 10.8 appeared in February, and OS X 10.9 could follow a similar timeline.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

  • Apple posts job openings for 802.11ac engineers

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    Apple’s looking to bring the 802.11ac protocol to the Mac this year.

    Now it just needs the people to do it.

    Per AppleBitch, a new job listing by the company advertises a position for engineers experienced with Gigabit Wi-Fi.

    The mention of 802.11ac comes from a new job posting listed by the company on Sunday, first highlighted by AppleBitch. The role of “System Test Engineer” will be based at Apple’s corporate Campus in Cupertino, Calif., and focuses on Wi-Fi connectivity.

    In the job listing, Apple notes that the position requires “technical knowledge” of the Wi-Fi standard in all forms, including the next-generation 802.11ac. The ideal candidate will include “experience on consumer-facing hardware/software products.”

    The new job posting comes only days after a rumor surfaced claiming that Apple plans to add Gigabit Wi-Fi to its 2013 Mac lineup. The so-called “5G Wi-Fi” standard offers up to 1.3Gbps data transfers with a three-antenna design.

    Current Macs and other Apple devices feature 802.11n networking, the current industry standard for Wi-Fi. That allows transfers of up to 450Mbps with three antennas — a feat that 802.11ac can accomplish with just one antenna.

    Apple is rumored to have struck a deal with Broadcom to potentially debut 802.11ac in this year’s Macs. The Broadcom chips reportedly remain in development and are not yet available to use.

    Apple has a history of being on the cutting edge with Wi-Fi — it was among the first to bring Wi-Fi to the masses in 1999, while Apple secretly included support for the “Draft-N” specification in some of its devices in 2006 before the 802.11n standard was officially ratified.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

  • Apple looking for possible Verizon iPad engineer in recent job post

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    While a Verizon iPhone is still up in the air, a new job posting on Apple’s web site shows that the company may be looking to put the iPad on the Verizon network according to Engadget.

    While Verizon began selling the iPad back in November, the company uses a Mi-Fi style device to provide the wireless data connection as opposed to a direct, contracted connection.

    According to the job description on Apple’s site, “The iPad System Engineer will work with the carrier business teams, business customers, and Apple sales resources to drive the adoption of iPad in enterprise accounts. Partnered with the iPad Sales team, the SE will be responsible for developing carrier relationships within the carrier technical teams and must have exceptional technical, project management, presentation and communication skills. He/She must also possess the ability to work without direct supervision or detailed direction. The successful candidate will have enterprise sales experience and must have an existing knowledge of the mobile market and the technologies that support it. Individual must have strong IT knowledge in the areas of enterprise messaging and collaboration, VPN, WiFi and enterprise security technologies. Hands-on experience with Microsoft Exchange Active Sync and Exchange Server is a plus. Must have the ability to effectively work with all levels in an organization including corporate CIOs and IT departments. Ability to work across a matrixed team is required.”

    So, if you’re hankering for an iOS device on Verizon’s network, you may be one step closer to seeing this become a realization.