Apple Interview Experience| SDE| ( On Campus) 2024

Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025

I noticed there were very few articles detailing the Apple interview experience, so I decided to share mine in hopes that it might help others. Here's a breakdown of my journey.

Job Description:

Apple was looking for individuals with strong communication and interpersonal skills who could collaborate effectively across diverse business and technical teams. They sought proactive candidates with a positive attitude toward problem-solving.

Overview of Interview Rounds:

  1. Resume Shortlisting
  2. Online Test
  3. Interview Round 1 - Technical (Eliminatory)
  4. Interview Round 2 - Techno-Managerial

Round 1: Resume Shortlisting

In this round, Apple shortlisted candidates based on their resumes. Only those without backlogs were selected to move forward.

Round 2: Online Test

The online test consisted of a coding question and MCQs.

  • Coding Question:
    (This was a LeetCode problem.)

    Imagine you're playing a game where you need to cross a sequence of stones to reach the final stone. Each stone has a number indicating the maximum steps you can jump forward. Starting from the first stone, determine whether you can reach the last stone. Return true if it's possible, otherwise false.

    • Input: [2, 3, 1, 1, 4]
    • Output: true
    • Explanation: Jump 1 step from the first stone to the second, and then take 3 steps to jump directly to the last stone.
  • MCQs:
    There were a total of 10 questions focused on core computer science topics such as:
    • DBMS
    • OS
    • OOPs
    • DSA
    Tip:
    Read and practice a lot of MCQs related to these core subjects online. Coding practice on LeetCode is essential.

Around 50 candidates were shortlisted for the next round.

Round 3: Technical Interview (Eliminatory)

  • Platform: Webex & CoderPad (for pair coding)

This round was conducted online, and the company asked for our preferred time slots. I was interviewed by a Senior Software Engineer, who was very polite and approachable. Here’s what was asked:

  1. Coding Questions:
    • Merge Sort: I was asked to implement Merge Sort, analyze its time complexity, and discuss any edge cases.
    • Time Complexity Analysis: I was given several code snippets and asked to analyze their time complexity.
    • SQL Query: A tricky SQL query was presented, and I was asked to provide its output.
  2. Project-Related Questions:
    • A detailed overview of all the projects listed on my resume.
    • A few management-related questions, such as how I handled conflicts during my projects and my learning methodology.

The interviewer concluded by asking if I had any questions, to which I responded with some template questions.

Tip:
Be very thorough about the projects on your resume. Understand them completely, including any technical details.

Around 35-40 candidates were shortlisted for the next round.

Round 4: Techno-Managerial Interview

  • Platform: Webex & CoderPad (for pair coding)

This round was also conducted online, and I had prepared for a range of managerial questions. However, the interview turned out to be quite different from what I had expected. I was interviewed by a Senior Software Manager who asked me to jump straight into pair coding.

  1. Coding Question (Pair Coding):
    • N-Queens Problem:
      The manager described the problem vaguely but didn't directly mention the problem name. I recognized it as the N-Queens problem and was able to write a working solution in 25 minutes.
  2. Managerial Questions:
    • How do you manage conflict with your teammates?
    • What are the challenges you faced in your projects?
    • How impactful do you think your project is?
  3. Random Questions (Twists!):
    • When was your college built?
    • Why do you like your college?

Tip:
Your confidence and how well you can manage challenges are key in this round. Stay calm, be honest, and answer confidently.

The Result

Out of all the candidates, 5 were selected for the Software Development Engineer (SDE) intern role, and I was one of them!

Final Thoughts

I hope you find this article helpful in preparing for your Apple interview. Good luck to all future candidates!
Thank you for reading!

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