Apple reportedly recruiting workers for Israeli R&D center

Hebrew-language newspaper Calcalist now reports that Apple and Anobit, which was acquired by Apple late last year, are actively recruiting workers for the company's research operations in Israel. That goes against the rumors claiming that the downsizing was said to be part of the acquisition, as some of Anobit's employees were no longer needed at the company.

According to the report, Anobit has changed its name to HDC (R&D center in Herzliya). The company's former president, Airel Maislos, is believed to be the new senior executive at Apple's development center.

Maislos is said to have turned to his friends for help as he actively recruits for Apple. The Cupertino, Calif., company is reportedly looking for employees specializing in "engineering algorithms, software and hardware."

The new Haifa R&D center seems to be finished by the end of February. Apple's facilities in Haifa and Herzliya will reportedly have different focuses. Herzilya is expected to develop memory devices; while Haifa center will likely develop Apple's A-series chip components.

Rumors surfaced last December that Apple had purchased Anobit for $500 million. Apple confirmed the deal in early January, but neglected to specify how much it had paid for the company. Anobit is expected to help Apple increase flash memory capacities while cutting costs.