RIM recruiting iPhone developer

By on Apr 29, 2008 at 5:52 PM
Rumor April 29, 2008

 

Yes, you read the headline correctly. According to an internal job listing that happened to make its way into the public arena, RIM is looking for a developer that is well versed in iPhone application development. The company seems very hesitant to go into details, even on an internal listing board. Here’s an excerpt:

"If you’re a pro at developing software for MAC’s then this it the position for you. It’s a new development team at RIM, so you’re getting in a the very early stages when joining this team."

So much for remaining confidential, but RIM is clearly up to something here. What is clear, however, is that they’re recruiting someone who is good with both Cocoa and Objective C, Javascript, XML, and more. "Mac OS X exposure (end user, administrator, developer)" is also listed as a requisite requirement. Given the specifics of the listing, we here at BGR think that RIM is looking to do one of three things. They’re either trying to develop Desktop-based Mac OS software to communicate with BlackBerrys , assembling a team to reverse engineer the iPhone touchscreen as they move towards developing their own touch-based device, or they’re looking to develop a version of BlackBerry Connect for the iPhone. Any other guesses out there?

[Via AppleInsider]

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25 Comments

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  • inc

    reverse engineering… ha ha ha ha

  • Sean

    How about developing a application like there is for windows mobile that is almost complete that will allow you to run blackberry os on it.

  • http://walkbroadpublishing.com Aaron J. Walker

    I vote for the first and third. RIM wants to get a native Blackberry app on those MACs and make sure BlackBerry Connect can work on the iPhone.

    Just like Microsoft licensed Exchange for the iPhone, RIM doesn’t want to leave all those iPhone users out of the mix.

  • Jeff B.

    Now we know where apple got their inspiration for the iPhone…THANKS RIM!!!

  • Tommy

    Nice sensationalist title there guys.

  • Chris

    Maybe they are tired of the superior polish and execution of the iPhone’s softare? I have been and still am a blackberry user, and I appreciate the simplicity, but does that mean it has to be straight up boring?

  • Mark

    seriously I think the reverse engineer comment is the single dumbest thing I have read today. BGR once again shows that they have absolutely no knowledge about how anything actually works.

  • http://www.bgr.com The Boy Genius

    @ Mark

    While Josh could have used a better choice of words, there is nothing dumb about RIM possibly hiring someone with knowledge of Mac OS to see how Apple’s API works in their iPhone SDK. RIM’s SDK currently is a sad excuse for a SDK, so anything that they can “borrow” ideas from is a step in the right direction in my book.

  • http://www.bgr.com The Boy Genius

    @ Mark

    Look at the two devices side my side above in that photo. I rest my case.

  • sprat

    You need to check your sources because this job posting does not exist.

  • sprat

    p.s. what does that side by side pic prove? last time i checked the pearl came out a lot earlier than the iPhone did?

  • http://sae.holisticplus.org Robert Morgen

    I’m still happy with my boring old Palm Tungsten. Haven’t made the leap to the iPhones yet. :)

  • http://www.mobilegadgetnews.com The Undude

    Of those three choices, I’d go with developing Blackberry Connect for the iPhone. They need to do this badly. Pent up demand for iPhone devices from the business-folks who have Blacberries and who are jealous of seeing what their kids are doing on iPhones is causing companies to adopt Exchange Mobile capabilities in preparation for the ActiveSync capable iPhone 2.0. With Blackberry Connect for iPhone, RIM gets to keep a foot in the door of all those IT shops that have already deployed Blackberry Connect. This gives RIM a chance to win back defecting device owners without loosing the foothold in Corporate IT departments. This is important for when RIM announce their own iPhone like finger friendly devices to those execs who defected.

  • Tyler Brock

    you guys are morons, why would they develop BB connect for the iphone, the push solution that firmware 2.0 has is better! I hope this is going to be for bbm support added to iphone, holla.

  • bluehorseshoe

    Headline is so NY Post.

  • keymaker

    Reverse engineering sounds about right, Meizu is already doing it & there not having a good time from what i can see. Why would Rim offer any kind of support for the iphone??? iphone is the competition remember, if you did not see the iphone SDK keynote you should see it so you can understand how Rim works & how exchange works, Why would anyone use Rim when you can bypass them??? here a link to the video keynote, you might learn a thing or two http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/iphoneroadmap/

  • http://www.mobilegadgetnews.com The Undude

    One reason a corporate It shop would want to support Blackberry Connect is because they already do – so they don’t need to add something new. And so they stay with what’s familiar. I’m not saying it’s better. Also, once RIM software is unplugged, it will be hard for RIM to get back into IT installations.

  • blah

    Let’s pray that that persons first project is to port webkit browser.

  • blah

    Think this article is wrong… only mention of Mac developer positions is… Software Developer (Mac OS X platform) (0801353)

    Sounds more like a desktop connector type of thingie.

    Also, with fear of flame baiting, who would want to work on mac projects in waterloo when the developer could just as easily work in beautiful southern california.

  • James

    They are getting ready to throw in the towel and merge with (the big bite my apple) Steve Jobs.

  • YoYo

    @ keymaker

    Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

  • Mog

    “Macs.” Not “MAC’s.” No all-caps. No apostrophe. It’s not that hard. Seriously.

  • http://www.redcanary.ca Trevor Stafford

    WRONG. This job is not related to the iPhone, it’s related to working on BlackBerry for Mac’s syncing software.

    I know this for a fact.

  • http://myspace.com/xmeinc Burch

    Actually, I am trying to get in contact with someone who knows iPhone programming… I have begun a small project and want to see if someone else could help me complete and share the profits for it. Do you know much about developing for iPhone?

  • g

    phones are cool

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