It’s the hiring cycles that show where a company’s going.
Apple has been looking to make significant additions to its battery technology team since the beginning of March, with a special emphasis on iOS devices, newly listed positions available at the company reveal.
At least nine listings posted within the last month are directly connected to battery technology. Some examples include openings for a hardware manager, a firmware development manager, a battery pack engineering manager, a cell engineer, and an electrical engineer.
While some of the positions may be linked to the batteries in Apple’s notebooks, others are more explicitly oriented towards iOS devices. These include listings for a battery life software engineer, a power analytics engineer, and a software power systems engineer. The last of the three seeks a candidate “able to think of innovative solutions to improve battery life, while always delivering great end user experience.”
Apple may be ramping up battery work as it enters the home stretch on development of new iPhones and iPads expected to ship in the fall. The company could ship as many as three new phones, including a 6s, a 6s Plus, and a possible 6c.
Battery life has long been a central challenge in the development of iOS devices. As features have progressed, Apple has had to devise new ways to keep battery life on par with previous products. Last year’s switch to larger iPhone sizes afforded new possibilities. Future iPhones could potentially exploit the new room even further. That will depend on whether upgrades — such as more RAM, a faster processor, and/or better camera technology — will consume more power.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider