Apple is secretly working on satellites and related wireless technology to find new ways to beam data such as internet connectivity directly to its devices, Bloomberg reported Friday citing people familiar with the work.
A dozen engineers from the aerospace, satellite and antenna design industries working on the project with the goal of deploying their results within five years, the report said.
Apple's work on communications satellites and next-generation wireless technology means the aim is likely to beam data to a user's device, potentially mitigating the dependence on wireless carriers, or for linking devices together without a traditional network, according to the report.
Apple could also be exploring satellites for more precise location tracking for its devices, enabling improved maps and new features.
It's not clear if Apple intends to pursue the costly development of a satellite constellation itself or simply harness on-the-ground equipment that would take data from existing satellites and send it to mobile devices, the report said.
In recent months, Apple has started hiring new software and hardware experts for the team, seeking engineers with experience in designing components for communications equipment. The company has also hired additional executives from the aerospace and wireless data delivery fields.
In 2017, Apple hired two former Google executives who were previously responsible for the spacecraft and satellite business.
The two aerospace talents dug by Apple were John Fenwick, head of Google’s spacecraft business, and Michael Trela, head of satellite engineering.
This is considered to be a sign that Apple wants to extend its tentacles into space: Apple may launch its own satellite or other spacecraft in the future.
Prior to this, Google acquired the satellite imaging company Skybox Imaging in June 2014, and launched its own satellite project in the Google X division-creating 180 high-performance satellites to provide Internet services to people in remote areas.
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