[cableshaft]

This isn't really disagreeing with you, but I was contacted by them specifically for my iOS development experience. They have several iOS apps, and they do have a demand for that type of work.

However, everything I was tested on was general SWE data and algorithmic questions. I never once got asked about anything iOS related at all. I remember one was a Google Voice question specifically, and another was a really strange converting 3D to 2D graphics conversion algorithm question that I'm still not quite sure how to tackle, and another was like reversing the bits in an image, I think, and I don't really remember the others anymore.

Also, if you go in for iOS, do not whiteboard in Objective-C or you will have a really bad time. I kept running out of space on the whiteboard because of its ridiculously long method names.

Simple example:

Objective-C: NSString *items = [[[NSArray alloc] initWithObjects:@"1",@"2",nil] componentsJoinedByString:@","];

Python: items = ",".join(["1","2"])

98 symbols vs 27 symbols. Over 3x as long.

[rubicon33]

I've never chosen to interview with Google but I have been approached by Google recruiters on multiple occasions for iOS development. To say that they don't have a need for iOS engineers, is clearly erroneous. Google has a number of iOS apps.

Just to name a few: YouTube. Gmail. Hangouts. Calendar.

Regarding your interview experience - This is precisely why I turn down every interview request from Google. If you're contacting me about iOS dev experience, question me about that domain. I find the algorithm / data structures questions to be fitting for an entry level hire, fresh out of college.