For the first time since at least 2016, Apple is hiring more software-focused employees than hardware-focused workers.
As Apple puts a new focus on its services business, the company is looking to fill more software jobs than hardware jobs for the first time in years, according to data published by Thinknum.
Thinknum’s research shows that Apple is hiring more staff for its Software and Services division than any other category — well above Hardware, Retail, Sales, Operations, Support, Marketing, Corporate Functions, and Design.
As of February 27, 2019, Apple had about 1,360 job openings for Software Engineers. There are about 1,070 listing for Hardware Engineers. Retail job openings are the third most popular right now with about 404 positions currently posted.
Since 2016, Apple’s most in-demand job category was Hardware Engineering, but by Fall 2018, Software had overtaken it to become the top spot.
According to the report, Apple wants more engineers experienced in the software industry than in hardware, most likely as it wants its future devices to run on more advanced software capabilities.
These numbers make sense right now for Apple — its hardware is now not only ubiquitous, but demand has finally plateaued. At the end of 2018 (right around when Apple began its earnest search for more software people), it became very clear that the iPhone was no longer Apple’s meal ticket as sales lagged followed by a very rare warnings call from Tim Cook.
Services and software are of vital importance to Apple right now, seeing continuous year-over-year revenue increases on a consistent basis. And while this transition has seen a number of Apple employees’ jobs shaken up, there is plenty to look forward to, including an incoming news subscription service and the company’s movie and TV streaming service.
