Apple hires iOS jailbreak hacker who created better notifications system
Apple has hired a prominent developer who made an improved notifications system for outlaw jailbroken devices to work on future iOS updates, according to reports.
A hacker who created an improved notification system for jailbroken iOS devices has just been hired by Apple, according to MobileCrunch.
By following a few cryptic clues and observing Peter Hajas's Twitter and Facebook accounts, it's virtually beyond doubt that Apple has snapped up the developer of the much-admired MobileNotifier.
Officially, Apple doesn't want people to jailbreak their iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, but you can be fairly sure that Steve Jobs is happy to employ someone who obviously knows the iOS system inside-out. It's better to have that kind of talent inside the camp, particularly if it pays homage to Apple's mighty leader.
Hajan announced last week he would be taking a break from the development of MobileNotifier, closing the post with the sign-out, "Until then, stay hungry and stay foolish" -- likely referring to a speech Steve Jobs made back in 2005.
He later tweeted that he would be "off to work in CA at a 'fruit' company." It doesn't take someone at a Genius Bar to ascertain that's Apple.
Finally, Hajas changed his Facebook account to list his employer as Apple, stating he was starting an internship there in May. Some Apple sources claim to have heard of him but not yet seen him on campus.
One of the rumoured features of iOS 5 is an improved notification system. There are definite similarities between MobileNotifier and apparent shots of how the official system might work, displaying a unified notification bar at the top of the screen.
While some users want to jailbreak iOSand root Android devices as a matter of principle, Apple's move is pretty smart. Not only do they get long-term talent that they can mould to "the Apple way" but they can also build in popular features from the hacking community, perhaps persuading more people to stick with the standard operating system instead of than modifying it.