Technology
Apple’s Global Web of R&D Labs Doubles as Poaching Operation
Apple has opened offices close to companies with top expertise.
Apple’s R&D Department Doubles as Poaching Operation
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In recent years, Apple Inc. has quietly put together a global network of small research and development labs, from the French Alps to New Zealand.
Nothing unusual about that for a company that spends $11 billion a year on R&D. Look a little closer, however, and you'll notice that many of these labs are located near companies with a strong record in mapping, augmented reality and other areas Apple is pushing into. In several cases, these companies lost employees to Apple not long after the iPhone maker came to town. Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller declined to comment.