Josh Ong
CNet UK uncovered the postings, which were discovered on the U.K. employment site Reed.
"Our client, Apple, one of the largest consumer electronic hardware and software companies in the world are seeking full-time iPhone Sales Staff for an exciting project to work 5 days a week (Tuesday-Saturday) for the period 16th August - 29th October within key retail stores," the posting reads.
According to the listing, only applicants willing to commit "to the period of the campaign" will be considered.
Given the proscribed seasonality for the new employees, the sales staff appear to be extra help brought on to handle an influx of customers during the launch of Apple's so-called iPhone 5. Though the listing by no means serves as concrete evidence of mid-August launch, it does indicate that, at least in the U.K. retail preparations for the new device are ramping up through the summer and into the fall.
Successful candidates would attend a "4 day training event" in London from August 9 to 12. The job pays £75 per day and involves working to "generate and grow iPhone sales and ensure sales targets are met" while providing a "first class customer service experience."
Gekko, the recruiter who posted the listings, boasts several years of experience working with Apple. The company's website boasts of a "Most Innovative Campaign" award for a staffing campaign for Apple that brought in "nearly £2 million in hardware sales alone."
The mid-August timeframe would line up with indications from suppliers on Wednesday that Apple's next iPhone will launch in the third quarter of calendar 2011. Bloomberg reported last month that the next iPhone will go on sale in September and feature an A5 processor and an 8-megapixel camera.
According to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal, Apple plans to build 25 million units of the next iPhone by the end of this year. The device is expected to be thinner and lighter than its predecessor and sport wireless baseband chips from Qualcomm. It should also be noted that some analysts expect the next-generation iPhone to arrive in late September or possibly as late as the fourth quarter of this year.
Earlier this month, component suppliers claimed Pegatron had been contracted to produce 15 million units of the new handset. However, a new report on Wednesday suggested Pegatron's share of next-gen iPhone production may be closer to 10 million as rival manufacturer Foxconn has exerted efforts to protect its orders.
Andrew Orr
Malcolm Owen
Wesley Hilliard
Christine McKee
Andrew O'Hara
26 Comments
Don't forget the BCM4330 chip. And potentially the Global Locate's hand in either the iPhone 5 or iPhone 6's GPS update.
Will be interesting to see where the iPod event falls now if this will be the Tuesday 16th August.
Makes sense that they'd launch it in August, especially if new Mac releases as rumours to go hand in hand with Lion go ahead. They'll need something around that August period to generate some interest, and then the iPod event can go ahead as usual in September/October.
One thing that goes against this is that we've been told to expect iOS 5 in the Fall - August is clearly not the US Fall and iPhone 5 will not be released running iOS 4...
Perhaps an August announcement and lowering of iPhone 4 prices so the last two weeks of August have extra sales on them, and then an early September release of iPhone 5 much like the iPad 2 introduction earlier this year.
I hope that this delay in release of the "5" is related to the 4G power problem. It would be beautiful if Apple managed to solve that and be first to market with a power-sipping 4G phone. Otherwise, why the delay, for a product that is rumored to be a minor upgrade? Why? Just to deliver a world phone? I expect more from Apple.
I hope that this delay in release of the "5" is related to the 4G power problem. It would be beautiful if Apple managed to solve that and be first to market with a power-sipping 4G phone. Otherwise, why the delay, for a product that is rumored to be a minor upgrade? Why? Just to deliver a world phone? I expect more from Apple.
There is no delay.
"generate and grow iPhone sales and ensure sales targets are met"
Huh?
That sounds more like Windows phone than iPhone. iPhones sell themselves... or have people forgotten the insane demand when the iPhone 4 hit the market last year? Apple Store employees are there to help, not sell.
I bought my iPhone the morning the iPhone 4 went on sale. I'd never owned one before. I waited in a line for two hours (and I was nowhere near the back of the line!). When I got in the Apple Store, I assumed the salesperson would want to rush because there were so many people waiting. Instead, the guy said "No rush at all. You have your ticket, so this is your time. Let me show you how your iPhone works." Apple should start a consulting business to teach OTHER business how to treat customers!
Aaaaaaaaaanyway... that line struck me as bogus. Apple doesn't hire Apple Store employees to sell stuff. But then again, if Apple is using recruiters to hire, it could be that the recruiters aren't used to the Apple way of doing things.
...?