iPod Graphics Engineer

[MacRumors]

As noted byThinkSecret, a new Yahoo job posting from Apple bring some further speculation on future iPod capabilities.

The iPod Division is looking for a Graphics Software Engineer to develop graphics and imaging frameworks for future iPod user interfaces. Duties include design and integration of graphics and imaging frameworks in an embedded RTOS environment.

While this may simply be in line with iPod Photo capabilites, Previous job postings had hinted that Apple may be looking into future iPod gaming. Meanwhile, Page 2 Rumors had hinted that Apple is taking gaming more seriously.

 

[IDANNY]

Cool anything to push the ipod forward.

 

[CaptainValor]

I hope this means the iPod interface will be gaining more iTunes-esque functionality; such as viewing file information or more extensive On-the-Go playlist creation options (naming, Smart Playlists, and track re-ordering). Gaming on the iPod just seems like a wasted effort, imo. I bought my iPod to listen to music, not play Marathon on a 2" screen.

 

[swissmann]

Is this in response to the PSP?

 

[GFLPraxis]

Is this in response to the PSP?

Will people stop being silly and thinking the PSP is an iPod competitor?

The PSP is for games. Few want to spend $250 to get an MP3 player that is that big but only has a 32 MB capacity. Want a gig? $150 for a 1 gig card + $250 for the PSP = $400 for the same capacity as a $150 iPod Shuffle.


The PSP is NOT competition to the iPod. At all. They are completely different classes of device. The PSP is a gaming machine with music playback tacked on. The iPod is a dedicated music playing device with a much higher capacity for the same price.

Nobody would buy a PSP *instead* of an iPod to solely play music, and nobody would buy an iPod *instead* of a PSP to solely play games.

 

[Dr. Dastardly]

Well it is just inevitable for the gui to get a face lift as well as all the iPods getting colored screens in the future.

An as for gaming, I don't see the iPod being a big player in the hand held gaming market but who ever thinks that Apple shouldn't concentrate more on the gaming market is just stupid. Its a billion dollar industry that is impossible to ignore.

 

[KC9AIC]

Maybe then we'll have visualizer effects on the iPod, for those who don't care about battery life.

 

[aafuss1]

Maybe then we'll have visualizer effects on the iPod, for those who don't care about battery life.

I agree-it would look very cool on the color screen iPod's and I believe iPod's aren't suitable PSP or DS rivals for games .

Perhaps all other future iPod's (mini and the iPod 5th gen ) should standardise on the Myriad font as well as the iPod photo.

 

[topicolo]

If apple is going to introduce a video ipod (the only remaining logical improvement and use for more storage space), the interface is going to get more complicated and that's where this jobs comes in.

 

[AppleFoussa]

ok now that is too funny! Aple taking gaming more seriously... that would require better graphics card all through thier PN line and iBook line. How sad would ir b if the iPod had better gaming capabilities than an apple laptop.

 

[applekid]

Combine an Apple Gaming Division rumor and these iPod graphics-capability rumors and the iPod game rumors, what do you get?

Apple = Game Company? Yeah, right...

I don't know, it just doesn't seem like a safe business to go after, unless Apple is going to make an impact on the game industry the way they impacted the digital music industry. Good luck...

 

[swissmann]

Will people stop being silly and thinking the PSP is an iPod competitor?

The PSP is for games. Few want to spend $250 to get an MP3 player that is that big but only has a 32 MB capacity. Want a gig? $150 for a 1 gig card + $250 for the PSP = $400 for the same capacity as a $150 iPod Shuffle.


The PSP is NOT competition to the iPod. At all. They are completely different classes of device. The PSP is a gaming machine with music playback tacked on. The iPod is a dedicated music playing device with a much higher capacity for the same price.

Nobody would buy a PSP *instead* of an iPod to solely play music, and nobody would buy an iPod *instead* of a PSP to solely play games.

You may be mostly right for now. I do see some uneducated consumers saying sweet games and music and not understand the reality of the situation as you describe. However, the PSP or similar device could potentially combine both strong points and pose a real problem for the iPod. I just hope it is Apple that does it. Hence the PSP killer, why buy a PSP when I can get an iPod that does handle my music and has sweet games too. Also, about the size if I want a unit that does both the size is going to be OK if I want small and just music I go with a smaller iPod lineup.

 

[iindigo]

Combine an Apple Gaming Division rumor and these iPod graphics-capability rumors and the iPod game rumors, what do you get?

Apple = Game Company? Yeah, right...

I don't know, it just doesn't seem like a safe business to go after, unless Apple is going to make an impact on the game industry the way they impacted the digital music industry. Good luck...

Well, keep in mind this is Apple, which has been able to successfully pull off just about everything new they've tried in the last few years. For example, before the iPod, who saw Apple as a music/player company? Just about nobody. Look at them now though, they are the dominating force in both the online music store market and mp3 player market.

It's Apple - anything is possible.

 

[JJTiger1]

Cool anything to push the ipod forward.

What's next: an all-in-wonder iPod with TELEPHONE?

Just what we need, a driver listening to her iTunes AND talking on her cell phone capable iPod, as she cruises her four-ton 6-mpg SUV through another red traffic light.

... with the grade school soccer team in the back seats gleefully playing a variety of quasi-GameBoy iPods.

 

[OwenMan]

Looks like Apple isn't going to have any troubles to keep re-inventing the ipod and have us wanting more.

 

[applekid]

Well, keep in mind this is Apple, which has been able to successfully pull off just about everything new they've tried in the last few years. For example, before the iPod, who saw Apple as a music/player company? Just about nobody. Look at them now though, they are the dominating force in both the online music store market and mp3 player market.

It's Apple - anything is possible.

Oh yeah. I completely agree. But, Apple is now going after an all-in-one type of device. And many companies have faltered along the way. I really can't think of any companies that had an all-in-one product that's just sweeping the world. Either the competition is too tight, and you don't have a defining product or it gets attention for a couple of months and loses the limelight.

The whole idea of creating an all-in-one device has to be redesigned. You need companies cooperating with one another and combining hardware, technology, manpower, and innovation. All of these designs look pretty on paper. But, I can't think of a device that lived up to its potential. The iPod is still an MP3 player, but it features nice small additions without saying it can do everything. For now, devices should be like that. Have one primary function, but have "mini-functions" that don't get in the way of the primary function. I hope that made sense.

However, we can be just interpreting all of these rumors incorrectly... Maybe they only plan on creating cellphone quality "mini-games," and we're just blowing this rumor waaaaay out of proportion.

 

[dongmin]

This really is a natural evolution for the iPod, but don't worry about the iPod competing against the PSP or Gameboy. The iPod will always be first and foremost a music player. But Apple has no choice but to add new photo, video, and gaming features down the line to make it attractive to new buyers. Why else would people be motivated to keep upgrading? The music features are pretty close to perfect as is. Yes, better connectivity with cars would be nice. Built in bluetooth will solve that. In an iteration or two, the photo features will be pretty well polished. I assume video is next, but Apple already has a bunch of in-house video people so they don't need to recruit from outside. The reason we're hearing so much about game developers now is that until now, Apple has had no game developers in house. Simple as that.

As battery technology gets better, Apple will be motivated to enlarge the screen size, add video capabilities, and eventually decent games that you can download via iTMS. The click-wheel is a pretty darn good controller for games.

 

[GilGrissom]

I dont think that the iPod will be getting any serious games for it, or expand as any sort of portable gaming console (im not refering to DS and PSP at all here, im talking way before it gets that far!!). I think the games will be simple updated games that it already has, maybe pushing how far they can take the click wheel as a medium for game play.
Saying that it doesnt mean it wont happen!! just what I feel at the mo...it would incur a too big a change in the interface of the iPod at this time i believe.

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

Should be good, whatever comes of it.

I want to see the iPods all with color screens, a few more built in games, real text viewing (like saved webpages or Pages documents), and wireless, we'll stay at the top for even longer...

I was using a PSP yesterday... Cool indeed, but not an iPod by any means.

 

[narco]

Easy answer:

Apple purchases the rights to all Atari 2600 games that utilize the paddle.
Apple ports them to the iPod.
Everyone is happy.

Fishes,
narco.

 

[jsalzer]

Eggomania

Easy answer: Apple purchases the rights to all Atari 2600 games that utilize the paddle.
Apple ports them to the iPod.

You know - today's fancy 3-dim games don't interest me at all. They're way too complicated. If I were going to waste my time on games, I'd actually enjoy the old Atari games.

Eggomania, of course, being the best paddle game!

Frankly, I say stay away from gaming with the iPod and give us more PDA type functions. I know people say PDA's are dead, but perhaps people just gave up on them because they aren't all that great to use. Apple could bring the PDA back to a fulfilling life! Put out an iPod+PDA, and I'd be all over it. Make it only work with iCal/Mail and Enterage, and get some more switchers.

 

[puuukeey]

I'm confused. these job postings imply that everytime apple wants to do something a bit different, they hire someone new.. do they use freelance workers or something?

 

[IDANNY]

What's next: an all-in-wonder iPod with TELEPHONE?

Just what we need, a driver listening to her iTunes AND talking on her cell phone capable iPod, as she cruises her four-ton 6-mpg SUV through another red traffic light.

... with the grade school soccer team in the back seats gleefully playing a variety of quasi-GameBoy iPods.

lol that gave me a great laugh. Probably because its true to some extent.

 

[CaptainValor]

Maybe then we'll have visualizer effects on the iPod, for those who don't care about battery life.

Ah, that's what I forgot to mention! Color screen + visualizer effects + battery life long enough to handle extended backlight use = extremely cool visual enhancement. I mean, can you imagine actually having a realtime visual representation of the music you're listening to, along with the album art, showing on the iPod screen as it peeks unassumingly out of your pocket? Talk about coolness factor!