Apple has reportedly been on a hiring spree for Asian staff since the middle of last year, preparing for the development of larger iPhones.
The next-generation iPhone is one of the most highly-anticipated devices of this year, and Apple is expected to offer at least one smartphone with a larger screen size. Apple has so far stuck to smaller displays for its smartphones (compared to rival handsets), with 4-inch being the largest screen for an iPhone. Rumors of larger iPhones have been intensifying recently, and a new report now claims that the company is trying to speed up development.
The latest news comes from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), which claims that Apple is on a mass hiring spree to accelerate the product development process in China and Taiwan, aiming to launch a larger lineup of devices.
"Apple Inc. is hiring hundreds of new engineers and supply-chain managers in China and Taiwan as it attempts to speed up product development and launch a wider range of devices," the WSJ reports. "People familiar with the matter said the Cupertino, Calif., company is hiring engineers from rival smartphone maker HTC Corp. and other Taiwanese tech firms to build up teams in Shanghai and Taipei."
The aggressive hiring suggests that Apple is gearing up for "faster and more frequent product launches," the report further points out. The publication also reiterates that Apple plans to launch two larger-screen iPhones this year. Based on rumors so far, one would sport a 4.7-inch display, while the other would join the phablet party with a 5.5-inch or larger screen.
Apple is reportedly increasing the number of supply chain managers as well, in an effort to fend off criticism regarding working conditions at supplier factories developing iDevices. According to the WSJ, Apple's operations staff in China currently has more than 600 employees.
The publication notes that Apple started its hiring spree last August, when it used professional networking website LinkedIn "to reach out individually to engineers at HTC and its Taiwanese suppliers Inventec Corp. and Quanta Computer Inc., among others."
The WSJ highlights, however, that "core research and development" will remain in Apple's headquarters in Cupertino. The positions in Asia are strictly for the development of certain components such as screens and cameras, but no R&D is involved there.
Apple has yet to officially confirm plans to launch larger iPhones this year, but it would make sense for the company to make this move and better compete against rivals. The company launched its new-generation iPhones in the fall in recent years, but some reports suggest that it may return to its previous summer-launch schedule for upcoming iPhone iterations. We'll keep you up to date as soon as we learn more, but take everything with a grain of salt for now.
