Apple has opened a development office in Hyderabad that will focus on Maps. The company's in-house mapping solution has steadily picked up new features, including public transit maps, expansion of Flyover, and more. The facility in Hyderabad will accelerate the pace at which new features are added, while improving the overall quality of the service.
Choosing Hyderabad as the destination for its Maps unit is a well-thought-out move, as the city already hosts Google's mapping division, making a wealth of talent available for Apple to kickstart its facility. The development office is expected to create up to 4,000 jobs. The inauguration of the facility comes a day after Apple opened an iOS accelerator in Bengaluru.
Commenting on the launch, Telangana's Minister for IT, Electronics and Communication KT Rama Rao said:
Last May, it was Google who came to Hyderabad, and this summer we have Apple coming in. We inaugurated the Amazon facility. So now, out of the top five most valued technology companies in the world we have four of them setting [up] shop in Hyderabad.Google and Apple believe that there are a lot of analytical abilities in India, there are a lot of problem solving abilities, great deal of attention to detail, obviously which will all help in building wonderful maps.
There's no word on when we'll see Apple announce plans to locally assemble phones in the country, but the minister is being optimistic:
I don't think the day is far that'll we'll have an Apple manufacturing facility India. But with respect to what's going to happen Apple manufacturing in India, I think we'll keep our fingers crossed and let's hope it'll happen sooner than later.
Apple Opens Development Office in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD, India — May 19, 2016 — Apple today announced the opening of a new office in Hyderabad that will focus on development of Maps for Apple products, including iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. This investment will accelerate Maps development and create up to 4,000 jobs.
"Apple is focused on making the best products and services in the world and we are thrilled to open this new office in Hyderabad which will focus on Maps development," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "The talent here in the local area is incredible and we are looking forward to expanding our relationships and introducing more universities and partners to our platforms as we scale our operations."
Apple has been continually updating and adding new features to Maps, including 3D views, the Flyover® feature and tools to help customers find convenient places to shop, eat and explore nearby areas. With iOS 9 Apple added Transit, offering a combination of trains, subways, buses and walking, which is already available for more than 300 cities around the world.
The new facility, located on the Waverock campus, will provide a world-class, LEED-certified home for the expanding Maps team.
"We are honored Apple chose Hyderabad as a home for its Maps development office," said Telangana Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao. "This will create thousands of jobs here and is a testament to our proactive approach, quality infrastructure and the excellent talent base we have in the region."
"Apple is one of the most innovative companies in the world and we are very proud they chose us to partner with for this important project," said Anup Jindal, RMSI's CEO. "We are experts in geospatial data and we will be hiring thousands of people from the local area to support this effort."
Across India, Apple supports over 640,000 iOS app developer jobs and other positions related to the iOS ecosystem.
