Apple adding yet more graphics experts to payroll?
updated 03:55 pm EDT, Wed April 29, 2009
Apple expands gfx. team
Apple's plans to expand graphics expertise are not limited to the hiring of Bob Drebin, claim sources said to be close to Apple. One of AMD's chief technology officers, Raja Koduri, is likewise being recruited according to the sources, though for what purpose is unclear. Both Drebin and Koduri have a background with ATI, the Canadian video card company now owned by AMD.
Koduri began his work in graphics with S3, where he was a director and engineering manager for four years before becoming the Director of Advanced Technology Development at ATI. Following that company's acquisition, he became the CTO of AMD's Graphics Product Group.
Combined with the recruitment of Drebin and Mark Papermaster -- as well as the purchase of chip designers PA Semi -- it is thought that hiring Koduri could signify an interest on Apple's part in pushing graphics performance through internally-developed chips, inaccessible to competitors. Apple currently relies on third-party graphics hardware for its products, which while sometimes powerful may not be tuned to Apple purposes, and in any case require paying outside developers. The company may be interested in pushing the gaming capabilities of the iPhone and iPod touch, widely touted in advertising.
