Apple has announced the creation of Europe’s first iOS App Development Centre in Naples, Italy.
The new centre will instruct students on app development, providing a specialised curriculum that could prompt further job creation in app development.
Apple will also take its work around Italy, providing additional opportunities for students. It’s also looking to expand the programme to other countries.
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So why Europe and Italy in particular, you might wonder?
“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.
More than 75,000 jobs in Italy are directly attributable to the App Store, and Apple calls the development community there “vibrant.” Of course, similar claims could be made for various countries around the world.
It’s worth pointing out that Apple’s announcement comes as it faces a large amount of pressure from European authorities. Just recently, it’s been reported that Apple could face a massive $8 billion tax bill following a European Commission investigation. In particular, Apple’s cosy tax arrangement with Ireland is facing severe scrutiny.
A little positive European PR wouldn’t go amiss, then. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Sure enough, Apple spends more time in this announcement talking about the job creation it has been responsible for in Europe than it does on the precise nature of the curriculum for its first App Development Centre in Italy.
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“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,” says Cook.
The press release also mentions how Apple has helped European app developers to earn €10.2 billion.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.