Apple rarely looks backward and is already working on 6G, which is supposed to be the next big thing; according to a job posting found by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Cupertino is looking for engineers to start working on 6G connections.

5G is still new and was only included in the iPhone 12 late last year, but wireless networks are constantly evolving; 6G is not expected to launch until 2030, but it is clear that Apple wants to get a head start.

The job posting Gurman found is for a wireless systems research engineer working on current and next-generation wireless networks. The job posting also mentions 6G, and the successful candidate is promised "research and design of next generation (6G) wireless communication systems" and "participation in industry-academic forums dedicated to 6G technology." [Of course, Apple is not the only company currently working on 6G. Apple's biggest mobile rival, Samsung, has confirmed that it is working on 6G technology in 2019, before many commercial 5G networks are up and running.

Samsung predicts that 6G will launch as early as 2028 and will include augmented reality, high-fidelity mobile holograms, digital replicas, and machines that exceed current human expectations.

Apple has been developing all of its own technology in-house for many years with great success; the M1 Mac chip and A14 Bionic processor both significantly outperform competitors, so it makes sense that Apple would want the same for its wireless hardware.

Apple has already confirmed that it is working on its first custom modem, presumably so that it does not have to rely on Qualcomm for components. It would not be a big surprise if Apple aims to be completely self-sufficient by the time 6G arrives.

Garman also notes that Apple joined a coalition of companies developing the 6G standard last year. Taken together, these factors suggest that Apple is indeed poised to become a major player in the 6G business. At the very least, Apple is in a position to help define what 6G will actually be.

It is still unclear exactly what 6G will offer, but so far the goal seems to be to allow wireless networks to offer even faster speeds than 5G (up to 100 times faster by some estimates). 6G is also expected to expand into the terahertz frequency band, offering higher capacity, lower latency, and greater frequency sharing efficiency than 5G

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And Apple may be at the forefront of this.