Apple announced its plans to build Europe's first iOS development center in Naples, Italy. The technology giant comes with a plan to provide the students with an amazing opportunity to be part of the most coveted app ecosystem of the world.
Located at a 'partner institution in Naples', the development center will not only train students on developing iOS apps but also help the teachers come up with a specialized program that will prepare the budding developers to become a part of Apple's vibrant developer community. "Europe is home to some of the most creative developers in the world and we're thrilled to be helping the next generation of entrepreneurs in Italy get the skills they need for success," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO in Apple's press release. Additionally, he also spoke about eventually rolling out this special curriculum to other countries as well.
Much of the talk has been about Apple's positive impact on Europe and its economy. As per The Verge, Cook stated, "The phenomenal success of the App Store is one of the driving forces behind the more than 1.4 million jobs Apple has created in Europe," indicating the incredible opportunities they have created across the continent for all kinds of people as well as businesses.
Today European developers now boast of earning over €10.2 billion ($11.1 billion) from selling their apps and, with its establishment in Italy, around 75,000 job opportunities look pretty feasible. But this announcement has come at a time when Apple has agreed to pay $348 million in back taxes to the Italian government. The timing has raised quite a few eyebrows as to whether it was a mere coincidence or if some sort of silent deal has been struck between the two parties.
Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that any kind of association with the world's largest app seller can only mean good things for an economy. Apparently, as told to VentureBeat, this is Apple's second iOS development center, the first one being somewhere in Brazil. The details regarding its exact location and opening still remain quite murky. There are talks of opening a third one in Indonesia but the plan is still at a very early stage.
This cash-rich company has just revealed its holiday-season numbers, which is reportedly a staggering $1.1 billion for just two weeks, with New Year's Day being the single largest revenue earner accounting for almost $144 million. An inspiration for millions, Apple continues to hold the top spot among the leading app sellers of the world.
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