Four new job posts on Apple’s website late last week seem to indicate that the company may be searching for iOS software engineers with “experience developing navigation software” -- could a built-in navigation app be part of the iOS 5 mix?
MacRumors is reporting that four identical job postings on Apple’s site at the end of last week may indicate the company is finally getting serious about doing its own GPS navigation software. According to AppleInsider, the posts are seeking iOS software engineers with “experience developing navigation software” being listed as one of their “valuable knowledge” criteria.
“Apple is hiring outstanding engineers to deliver the next generation of Apple products,” the job postings read. “Seize this ground floor opportunity to help us build the world's best hosted platforms at massive scale.”
Among the requirements for the position are the usual three-plus years of experience developing “high quality, robust software systems” as well as expert knowledge of C++, problem solving and analytical skills and more, with navigation software experience listed alongside “deep knowledge of Computational Geometry or Graph Theory” and “experience with Linux server-side development of distributed systems” in the “valuable knowledge” area.
Apple has often been criticized for moving slowly with turn-by-turn navigation software -- both making third-party apps available in the App Store to begin with, and then for limiting their usefulness due to the lack of multitasking. Most curiously, Apple has not provided their own navigation software, which has become a key feature of many Android smartphones now that Google offers their own Navigation app.
While Apple’s built-in Maps app does provide turn-by-turn directions, it doesn’t offer a fully automated navigation experience similar to the third-party App Store offerings from the likes of Magellan, CoPilot Live, Navigon and others. The Maps app also relies on data from Google, Cupertino’s direct competitor in the mobile space.
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(Image courtesy of MacRumors)
