Apple looking to hire CDMA-knowledgeable staff

By Kelly Hodgkins
A recent job posting on Apple's corporate job board loosely suggests Apple may be testing a CDMA iPhone. The posting for a Cellular Systems Performance Engineer went live December 9th and requires an individual knowledgeable in cellular technology, including standard GSM protocols (GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSDPA, HSUPA) and CDMA.
The successful candidate will be tasked with handling protocol issues that arise from certification, interoperability, and field testing, the job post says, and they should also have experience with different carrier networks and infrastructures.

Normally, such a job listing would be overlooked as the requirement for experience with CDMA may be included by default. If you are a Cellular Systems Performance engineer, you most likely have experience with all the cellular technologies, not just one and this job listing reflects that diversity of skills.

Given all the rumors surrounding the CDMA iPhone, though, this is not exactly a normal time. In this particular case, the inclusion of CDMA and the job duties that focus on analyzing final stage test results may point to the CDMA iPhone.

Admittedly, hiring a Performance Engineer now is a bit late, but it is not that much of a stretch. Rumors suggest the CDMA iPhone may be prepping for an early 2011 launch which is a relatively wide launch window. This would put the handset in the final stages of testing and a quick hire could be done to help iron out all those final details.

Update: Commenter fernando notes that Mexican carrier lusacell will have the CDMA iPhone, but we have confirmed that the iPhone is GSM and will run on the carrier's new GSM network, not its CDMA network.

[Via Ubergizmo]

Recommended