The Apple Summer 2020 internship offered students and recent graduates a remote-first opportunity to contribute to influential products while working alongside experienced mentors. This period highlighted Apple's focus on accessibility, privacy, and creative tools that empower users around the world.
Participants collaborated across time zones using digital design reviews, pair programming, and written design documents to deliver meaningful features on tight schedules. The experience emphasized structured onboarding, continuous feedback, and inclusive team rituals that kept distributed interns fully engaged.
| Intern Role | Team Focus | Key Deliverables | Tools & Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineering Intern | iOS features and services | Xcode, Swift, GitHub, TestFlight | |
| Design Intern | Interaction and visual design | Sketch, Figma, Protopie, InVision | |
| Marketing Intern | Campaigns and storytelling | Final Cut Pro, iMovie, Adobe Suite | |
| Data and Analytics Intern | Product insights and measurement | SQL, Looker, Amplitude, BigQuery |
Product Design and User Experience
Design interns worked closely with product managers to translate complex requirements into intuitive, accessible interfaces. They conducted user interviews, built interactive prototypes, and iterated based on qualitative and quantitative feedback.
Apple tools such as Figma, Sketch, and Protopie enabled fast iteration, while design system reviews ensured consistency across apps and services. Accessibility checks, including VoiceOver and Dynamic Type testing, were integrated into every sprint cycle.
Each intern delivered a capstone project that showcased problem framing, information architecture, and polished visual design. Critiques emphasized empathy, clarity, and measurable impact, preparing participants for future roles in product and UX leadership.
Engineering and Technical Growth
Engineering interns received mentorship from senior engineers who reviewed code, discussed architecture tradeoffs, and guided best practices for scalable, maintainable solutions.
Core skills included writing safe, efficient Swift and Objective-C, reading Apple frameworks documentation, and using debugging tools such as Instruments and LLDB. Interns contributed to feature branches, participated in code reviews, and learned how to write meaningful test cases.
Technical workshops covered performance profiling, memory management, and continuous integration pipelines on GitHub Actions. By the end of the program, interns were comfortable navigating large codebases and delivering changes with high confidence.
Collaboration and Remote Workflows
With a fully remote setup in summer 2020, Apple invested in reliable communication channels, async documentation, and clear expectations. Daily standups, weekly planning sessions, and 1:1 mentorship ensured alignment across time zones.
Interns used Slack, Zoom, and internal wikis to ask questions, share progress, and coordinate reviews. Apple emphasized psychological safety, encouraging interns to raise concerns early and propose improvements to tools and processes.
Getting Started and Maximizing the Experience
- Complete onboarding tasks early to become familiar with Apple's tools, security guidelines, and communication norms.
- Set biweekly goals with your mentor and track progress using shared documents and issue trackers.
- Engage in cross-team syncs to understand how your work connects with broader product roadmaps.
- Document your learning journey through short write-ups, design files, and code comments for future reference.
- Seek feedback frequently, iterate on suggestions, and reflect on how your contributions affect real users.
FAQ
Reader questions
What were the typical hours and schedule for the Apple Summer 2020 internship?
Apple Summer 2020 internships followed a part-time remote schedule, often around 20–30 hours per week, with flexible start times aligned across time zones and regular check-ins with managers.
Which technologies did interns commonly work with during the program?
Engineering interns commonly used Swift, Objective-C, Xcode, Git, and GitHub, while design interns worked in Figma, Sketch, and Protopie, supported by Apple's internal systems and tooling.
How was feedback and performance evaluated during the internship?
Feedback came through weekly 1:1s, sprint reviews, and written design or code reviews, with structured goals set mid-program and a final assessment shared before program completion.
What opportunities existed for full-time conversion after the internship?
Eligible interns could receive return offers, with teams coordinating based on project impact, performance reviews, and team needs, supported by a structured onboarding path for accepted candidates.