Apple Has Hired MobileNotifier Developer Peter Hajas

The speculation began last week when iPhoneinCanada posted that it believes that mobile developer Peter Hajas has started working for Apple. A developer getting a new job at Apple would not be newsworthy in itself, but Hajas was the developer of a popular jailbreak notification add-on for iOS. iPhoneinCanada describes how earlier versions of the MobileNotifier add-on works:

Now, there's a hot tweak called MobileNotifier (beta 3 release) via Cydia that makes notifications unobtrusive and allows you to keep using existing apps. An elegant bar appears up top of your homescreen and with one tap you can choose to close or open the notification. Alerts will also appear on your lockscreen. When you double tap the Home button, you'll see a list of your recent alerts via the AlertDashboard.

And associated video:


Peter Hajas doesn't come right out and say that he's now working Apple but did post a cryptic update to his blog saying that he will be taking a break from MobileNotifier for a while due to other opportunities.

RedmondPie has since discovered a (now deleted) Tweet posted in early May by Hajas saying that he would be heading off to work in California at a "fruit" company. Meanwhile, we've also independently confirmed that Hajas is now an employee at Apple.

Apple is rumored to be improving iOS's notification system in the next version of iOS to be detailed at WWDC, and a report from mid-February had indicated that Apple was hiring an unnamed outside developer to revamp notifications, although it is unknown if that person was indeed Hajas. Regardless, Apple has certainly already worked heavily on such a system prior to this hire, but it's still interesting nonetheless.

Proof from Apple's internal employee directory app:

peter

Top Rated Comments

Cougarcat Avatar
161 months ago
If this guy was only just hired, I hope that doesn't mean notifications are a no-show in iOS 5.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sky Blue Avatar
161 months ago
It looks better than what is in iOS right now, but it still seems quite intrusive.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reach9 Avatar
161 months ago
There has been news of them gobbling up notification gurus for the past year alongside talks of notifications in iOS5. They got Palm's notification UI designer, they got this guy and there's rumors that they were involved with boxcar too. They are serious about getting notifications made over and I'm willing to bet it's for iOS5.

I agree.

I do think that Apple has already worked on a notification system (please god), and Peter Hajas will help "update" it, and nothing else.
Are you telling me Apple couldn't set up a notification system on their own and had to get this developer to do it? What about the designer from WebOS?
The deal-breaker for iOS 5 is a notification system.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexhasfun28 Avatar
161 months ago
that's horrible! I've seen way better notifications. Like the one you can see all your notifications when awake your phone (before you unlock it) and you're able to swipe across a notification and it'll take you directly to it!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Superdrive Avatar
161 months ago
Now it takes TWO taps to dismiss the notification instead of one. Hopefully once Apple gets their hands on it, they can do an auto-dismiss after three seconds or so. This is a literal case of one step forward and two steps backward.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Žalgiris Avatar
161 months ago
So basically iOS needs Growl implemented?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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