Communication has always been the backbone of any successful venture, and technology is no exception. The world is gearing up for technological innovations, paving the way for smart, effective, and efficient communication channels. For Kush Desai, a Lead Electrical Engineer working for Apple’s coveted iPhone, these advances are a motivation for advanced innovations in the future.
Born and raised in Ahmedabad, India, his fascination with technology manifested itself at an early age.
“My father has been my first inspiration, and I have always wanted to follow in his footsteps,” he says, “He was a Computer Engineer who designed underlying Hardware circuits and PCBs for Blue Star Air Conditioners in the early 90s.”
With his path set, Desai chose to pursue electronics and graduated in Electronics and Communication Engineering from a Government-affiliated institute in his hometown. He then decided to enhance his learning through practical application and clinched an internship at eiTRA and, subsequently, a full-time role at eInfochips, a leading multinational company in product engineering and design. The opportunity helped him get hands-on experience with a company defined by technology and progress.
“Electronics requires many things to come together to work and to engineer such systems; you need to learn many aspects of circuits and network theories theoretically and practically,” he says.
Desai decided to pursue his Master’s degree at San Jose State University, where he majored in Electrical Engineering and specialized in Analog/Mixed Signal Design. This move exposed him to DSLR Camera Technology, which is ever-evolving and requires pushing for higher data rates through lossy wired channels to enable advanced photography use cases through higher resolution and frame rates.
His internship experience as a Product Engineer at Renesas Electronics was fruitful, and he quickly established himself as an efficient and accountable person. This success was followed by an internship opportunity at Apple, where he worked on the technology phase of the 5x Zoom Telephoto Camera. This technology was a first in the industry and resulted in high-definition images clicked from a mobile phone, a USP that iPhones are famous for.
Desai was offered a full-time role at Apple, where he works as a Lead Architect for the iPhone Pro/Pro Max rear wide camera electrical design, a project that has seen the light of the day due to his and his team’s hard work and brilliance. He also initiated and was part of the development team for HW-Design-Life-Cycle management tools, which enhanced the accuracy of electrical designs and made them more efficient. Today, the entire hardware engineering team at Apple uses these tools.
His other achievements include a rugged mobile phone for use in hazards surrounding the oil and gas industry and an AI-assisted home appliances system, which led to successful product launches in the United States, including FCC certification. He has also provided hands-on instruction and support to over 250 students through multiple teaching associate and student assistant positions and secured multiple scholarships during his Grad tenure at the University. Desai considers these achievements stepping stones to success in his professional career. He plans to patent many more innovations for Apple while being a significant individual contributor and team player.
Published by: Holy Minoza
