Hiring

Apple hires former NASA veterans for augmented reality and self-driving software testing

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

Apple has hired several expets from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), including three engineers who worked at the space organization's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They, along with other engineers, have been tasked with working on Apple's rumored augmented reality projects and self-driving software initiatives.

According to the latest articles from Bloomberg, Dow Jones Newswire and Business Insider, a rare bureaucratic mistake has revealed Apple’s secret team of NASA veterans and experts holding PhDs in robotics and other related fields. They were apparently recruited for Project Titan, Apple's self-driving car project, and augmented reality, another not-so-secret Apple initiative.

Apple recruits top Google satellite executives for whole new hardware team

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 21, 2017

Mark Gurman and Mark Bergen, reporting Friday for Bloomberg, have learned from sources who didn't wish to be named that Apple is in the process of starting a brand new hardware team for which it recruited a pair of top Google executives specialized in satellites for collecting images and those for communications.

It's unclear from the report what Apple's secretive new hardware team might be focusing on, but it could be inferred from the hirings that Tim Cook & Co. might be considering a satellite constellation of their own for either image collection or some sort of communications services.

Apple’s tightly-knit industrial design group loses another longtime member

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 3, 2017

In what could be described as a shakeup to Apple’s vaunted design team, its longtime industrial designer Christopher Stringer has left the company.

He was with the iPhone maker for 21 years, as per a new article Monday by The Information.

About a year ago, Danny Coster, another member of Apple’s elite industrial design team, has left the firm for greener pastures at GoPro. The design team at Apple's gone through multiple changes in the last two years as Jonathan Ive stepped back from running the team, with Richard Howarth taking over day-to-day management of the group.

Apple hires former YouTube and Spotify veteran to help shape its video content strategy

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 31, 2017

Apple has hired Shiva Rajaraman, a product leader formerly with Google's YouTube, Spotify and Twitter, to accelerate its failing video content strategy, The Information reported yesterday citing people familiar with the matter. The paywall'd article cites three people briefed on the hiring as saying that Rajaraman will help shape Apple’s video strategy to take on established players like Amazon and Netflix.

Apple hires iOS security researcher and former jailbreak developer Jonathan Zdziarski

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

Forensic data analysis expert, iOS security researcher and former jailbreak developer Jonathan Zdziarski has officially joined Apple. Zdziarski announced today he accepted a position with Apple's Security Engineering and Architecture team, but it's unclear when he might be starting work at Apple. Zdziarski, who at times could be critical of Apple's security efforts, says he's joined the iPhone maker because he's so passionate about protecting the security and privacy of others.

Apple’s Vice President of corporate and government sales has stepped down

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 7, 2017

John Solomon, Apple's Vice President for Enterprise and Government, has stepped down. He led sales teams charged with pushing Apple hardware and software to big companies and government agencies with large technology budgets.

Apple confirmed his departure to Reuters, but refused to comment further. Solomon wouldn't reveal why he left Apple either. It's unclear if losing a key executive for business sales might slow Apple's efforts to push its solutions to large businesses in recent years.

Apple hires Spotify’s former head of label relations

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 2, 2017

The Apple vs. Spotify fight just became tougher with news that Apple recently hired Spotify's former head of label relations, Steve Savoca, who left the company in August of last year (Spotify's current boss of label relations is Rob Harvey). He was recruited for the identical role at Apple Music.

The Cupertino firm on Thursday confirmed the hiring of Spotify's former executive, saying he'll be focusing on relationships with smaller, independent labels, especially internationally.

Former Android executive Hugo Barra to head Facebook’s Oculus and virtual reality teams

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 26, 2017

When former Android executive Hugo Barra announced three days ago he was leaving Chinese handset maker Xiaomi, he provided standard boilerplate explanation: he wanted to spend more time with his family because living and working abroad has taken a toll on his health and life.

Then again, that's exactly the kind of stuff that you'd expect high-ranking executives to say when jumping ship or seeking greener pastures with another team.

As it turns out, Barra is leaving Xiaomi not because he's burned out but to join Facebook where he will be charged with managing the Oculus team and the company's other virtual reality projects, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced yesterday.

Apple hires Dropcam co-founder Greg Duffy

Cody Lee ∙ January 25, 2017

Former CEO and co-founder of Dropcam Greg Duffy has joined Apple, reports The Information. A company spokesman has confirmed the high profile hiring to the outlet, but would not comment on what his role would be in Cupertino.

Marketing executive Musa Tariq leaving Apple to become Ford’s VP & Chief Brand Officer

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 24, 2017

Musa Tariq, Apple's executive, is leaving the company to join Ford, the car maker said Tuesday.

Tariq was Apple’s global marketing and communications director for retail for a little more than two years. At Ford, he will be Vice President and Chief Brand Officer, a new position created as the company focuses on new mobility services.

Former Android executive Hugo Barra leaving Xiaomi next month

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 26, 2017

Hugo Barra, who used to be Google's senior executive in charge of Android before leaving the Internet giant for Xiaomi in August 2013, announced on his Facebook profile that he's leaving the Chinese handset maker. He'll be returing to Silicon Valley in February after the Chinese New Year to spend more time with friends and family.

As Vice President of Xiaomi's International unit, Barra was responsible for making the company's Mi handsets available in more countries globally.

Xiaomi has yet to start selling its products in the United States.

Senior Director of Design for Mac lineup leaves Apple for engineering role at Tesla

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 11, 2017

Apple was trying “very hard” (in Elon Musk's own words) to recruit top talent from Tesla.

Now that its Project Titan has shifted gear from building an electric vehicle to developing an autonomous driving software, some of the engineers associated with the initiative have departed for Tesla.

Just as we've discovered that Swift creator Chris Lattner was leaving the iPhone maker to take a position as Vice President of Autopilot Software at Tesla, Electrek.co is reporting that the guy who designed many of Apple’s iconic Macs will now be building Tesla vehicles.