Apple Hiring for Advanced Multi-touch Displays

[MacRumors]

A new job description posted by Apple on Monday, May 12th reveals that Apple is seeking an engineer to "lead the engineering activities to develop the new process and design for the multi-touch panel used in Apple products. This individual will serve as a focal point in the designing and the process development of advanced multi-touch panels from the concept to the product ramp."

Responsibilities include designing and developing new multi-touch panels for high volume production, and the candidate should have experience in the flat panel industry. Another job description reveals that some of these hires are entering into a newly created "Panel Process & Optics Group" at Apple which is responsible for future flat panel designs.

While the fruits of these specific employees' efforts won't likely be seen for years, it has been well established that Apple has long been been working on advanced multi-touch displays. Based on this job description and previous patent applications, it is clear that Apple's intentions are beyond the multi-touch display that currently resides on the iPhone and iPod touch. Advanced multi-touch gesturing patents have shown Apple's efforts to incorporate new gestures into Mac OS X itself. Simple multi-touch has already made its way into the trackpad of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

Apple has also been rumored to be working on a mini-tablet project which may incorporate more advanced multi-touch recognition over the existing iPhone and iPod touch.

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[Samarium]

Nice, I hope this products hit the shelves soon.

[Doctor Q]

These are senior positions, which would indicate they are for a new project, rather than hiring being done to fill out the staff for a long-running project or an imminent product.

[stagi]

Sweet can't wait to see what the next generation of computers is going to be, some cool stuff in the coming up years

[Peace]

It sounds like this is for Apple Cinema Displays.

[maddogeco]

so if there just hiring the mutlitouch engineers now does that mean there's not going to be a mystery tablet released at WWDC??

[tomcattmatt]

Definitely sounds like it is for the cinema displays. When do you think these will be out?

[Shagrat]

Originally Posted by tomcattmatt

Definitely sounds like it is for the cinema displays. When do you think these will be out?

as it says above"..While the fruits of these specific employees' efforts won't likely be seen for years..."

So not in the next round of ACD's I expect!

Talking of which, the one thing which i AM hanging on for, is a refresh of the ACDs. Seems to have been a long while!

LED ACDs anytime soon??????

[MisterK]

I've been doing a little work for Windows 7. All I can say is MS is doing touchscreen in a pretty big way.

[bachlau]

Originally Posted by Shagrat

as it says above"..While the fruits of these specific employees' efforts won't likely be seen for years..."

So not in the next round of ACD's I expect!

Talking of which, the one thing which i AM hanging on for, is a refresh of the ACDs. Seems to have been a long while!

LED ACDs anytime soon??????

In Steve's letter "A Greener Apple", he mentioned:

Apple plans to completely eliminate the use of arsenic in all of its displays by the end of 2008.

Apple plans to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of mercury by transitioning to LED backlighting for all displays when technically and economically feasible.

[ebrunn]

Normally requires Ph.D. degree in Physics or Mechanical Engineering plus a minimum 3 years experience, or MS degree plus a minimum of 5 years experience.

I would apply but I think I'm over qualified

[japanime]

This can only mean one thing:

New PowerBook G5s with multi-touch screens on Tuesday!

[PowerFullMac]

Originally Posted by japanime

This can only mean one thing:

New PowerBook G5s with multi-touch screens on Tuesday!

...And its about time! Maybe it will have the same processors that the PS3 have with games console's graphics cards!

[twoodcc]

looking forward to these products

[k2spitfire88]

Sounds pretty sweet, to say the least. I am interested to see what comes out of this.

[Lesser Evets]

Niiicceee... way to be behind the curve. They should have hired someone for this 3 years back, and had the product on the market last summer. We can probably expect a multi-touch monitor from Apple in 2010/1

[themiracle]

Originally Posted by japanime

This can only mean one thing:

New PowerBook G5s with multi-touch screens on Tuesday!

I see what you did there.

[smartin684]

Originally Posted by Lesser Evets

Niiicceee... way to be behind the curve. They should have hired someone for this 3 years back, and had the product on the market last summer. We can probably expect a multi-touch monitor from Apple in 2010/1

Why would anyone, in the consumer market, want a multi-touch monitor. I dont think we will ever see a multi-touch monitor from Apple, or any other computer manufacturer, at least not in the current format of being a vertical monitor. It just doesnt make sense from a usability or ergonomic viewpoint. Multitouch monitors would be great for tablets, exhibit displays or novelty but for the general consumer, it makes no sense at all, unless you want a severe case of shoulder fatigue.

[localoid]

Originally Posted by smartin684

Why would anyone, in the consumer market, want a multi-touch monitor. ...

Touch-screen envy.

[lazyrighteye]

Originally Posted by Lesser Evets

Niiicceee... way to be behind the curve. They should have hired someone for this 3 years back, and had the product on the market last summer. We can probably expect a multi-touch monitor from Apple in 2010/1

How plausible is it that Apple have already filled this position, but did not want to make that info public, so they sat on it until yesterday?

I have seen this happen on a frighteningly frequent basis in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors: Company, Inc. has an opening. More than likely with someone in mind (someone inside the company or an outside, trusted "friend"). Company, Inc. hires said someone, THEN posts the already filled position for posterity/legality.

Shady?
I think so.
Plausible here?

[Bubba Satori]

Originally Posted by tomcattmatt

Definitely sounds like it is for the cinema displays. When do you think these will be out?

2010.

[sushi]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

Huge potential for touch displays.

My guess is portable development. I don't expect to see touch ACD's.

[BenRoethig]

Originally Posted by Samarium

Nice, I hope this products hit the shelves soon.

Not likely in the next two years. Touchscreen tech is still too expensive for larger displays. However, touch screens are the future.

[Obi-Wan Kubrick]

I wouldn't count on seeing this stuff until OSX 11

[Antares]

Originally Posted by maddogeco

so if there just hiring the mutlitouch engineers now does that mean there's not going to be a mystery tablet released at WWDC??

The MacPad/iPadd is still a ways off....

Originally Posted by Obi-Wan Kubrick

I wouldn't count on seeing this stuff until OSX 11

Don't you mean OS XI/OS 11?