Apple is said to be aggressively hiring engineers seeing designers with an aim to develop wireless components and processors that would weaken Qualcomm’s chances of supplying chips for future iPhones. This month, Apple published 10 job listings on its website for chip design-related positions in San Diego.
This marks the first time the Cupertino based technology giant has publicly recruited for such roles in the Southern California for chip design. Apple is advertising for engineers to work on multiple types of chip components, including engineers to work on the company’s Neural Engine artificial intelligence processor and wireless chips.
The company is said to be seeking hardware and software engineers to work on wireless components. It already houses chip designers in several locations, including in prime areas. The company has increased the number of components it designs itself over the lifetime of the iPhone giving it a chance to differentiate its flagship products from those made by rivals. This also gives Apple control over costs.
To date, the company has released wireless chips for AirPods and the Apple Watch but hasn’t produced its own complete wireless systems for the iPhone. Apple is seeking engineers with experience in mainstream wireless protocols like LTE and Bluetooth. The modem is the most important wireless component inside the iPhone and Apple relied on Qualcomm and then moved to Intel after legal stiff with the San Diego company.
This move from Apple intensifies its position with other chip makers and indicates that Apple is moving even further reduce its reliance on external chipmakers and could be gearing up to launch more wireless chips in-house. Apple declined to respond to requests for comment.