Edible Apple

It’s no secret that Apple likes to keep future product launches, well, secret. And while Apple can take great steps to ensure that no product leaks or spyshots leak out, it can’t hide the fact that a new product launch necessarily requires a great deal of manpower. Consequently, prior to significant product launches, Apple tends to go on relative hiring sprees. Indeed, this has even been seen with Apple’s partners, such as when Verizon began ramping up customer service hires in the weeks preceding the CDMA iPhone launch.

It’s also no secret that Apple’s next major product launch is the iPhone 5. The most recent reports suggest that Apple will announce the device in August and prep for an official launch date during that same month or by the end of September at the absolute latest.

Now, CNET UK is reporting that Apple UK is increasing the number of individuals on its retail staff for the period of August 16th through October 29th. Just take a look at the job posting pictured above.

The post, which was sent to us by a tipster, asks for “full-time iPhone Sales Staff for an exciting project to work 5 days a week (Tuesday-Saturday) for the period 16th August – 29th October within key retail stores”. The posting appears several times on Reed, with each post covering a different area of the UK.

It sounds as if Apple is looking to bolster its sales staff, and the only reason we can think is that there’s a big product launch on the horizon.

Very interesting, though the August 16th date could easily be the day Steve Jobs presumably announces the device and that the actual launch date may be a week or so afterwards. Also telling, and yet another indication that a late Summer launch is in the works, is that the job description specifically applies to “key retail stores.”