Apple bulks up iOS development staff as expected Verizon launch nears

Apple Inc. (AAPL) is looking to hire some new employees for its iOS development team based in Silicon Valley. Four identical job listings that were picked up by AppleInsider suggest that Apple could be working on its own personal navigation tools to implement in future versions of iOS.
In the listings, Apple said it is looking for candidates with “valuable knowledge” of navigation software and “deep knowledge of Computational Geometry or Graph Theory.”
The latest search for talent on Apple’s part comes more than a year after Apple sought candidates with similar backgrounds to take the iPhone’s maps applications “to the next level.”
While Apple has relied on outside development for many of its core applications like maps, Google Inc. (GOOG) has increasingly differentiated its maps product on Android devices with better features like turn-by-turn directions. It’s easy to see why Apple might have some plans of its own down the line.
In other Apple news, there is a new round of rumors surrounding the much-expected launch of an iPhone at Verizon Wireless (VZ). Some suggest the announcement could come as early as CES next month in Las Vegas when Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg delivers a keynote. While the iPhone has some history with CES, it’s only by extension. Apple virtually stole the full thunder and hype of CES back in 2007 when it announced the first iPhone — off site and more than 500 miles away in San Francisco.