Apple Director of Graphics Architecture Is Second Chip Executive Hired Away by AMD

NewImageAMD has hired away another executive from Apple, CNET is reporting.

Raja Koduri, Apple's former director of graphics architecture, has been rehired by AMD as Corporate Vice President of Visual Computing after four years with Apple.

Koduri joined Apple from AMD in April 2009 as part of the electronics giant's push to build up its own chip operations. Instead of relying on partners like Intel to design processors for smartphones and tablets, Apple started creating its own chips for mobile devices.

Anecdotal reports have suggested that Apple employees have been sending out resumes more recently than they have in the past, though CNET says Koduri left Apple last month and didn't immediately join AMD. The company was reported to have been attempting to hire Koduri back for some time.

The skills of Koduri and Jim Keller -- Apple's former head of platform architecture who joined AMD last year -- would seem to compliment each other as AMD attempts to gain market share after a poor showing in recent years. AnandTech says AMD is putting GPU hardware and software under Koduri's leadership.

Popular Stories

A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
replay all time playlist apple music

Apple Music Debuts All-New Personalized Playlist

Monday June 30, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history. The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to Apple Music, but now, Replay All...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in a Few Months With These 12 New Features

Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are around three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...

Top Rated Comments

nwcs Avatar
159 months ago
In other news, employees seek out the best job opportunities that fit their talents and salary requirements. Next up, Apple hires people from other companies because Apple offers the job opportunities and salaries they are looking for in a career.

Later, those same employees seek employment elsewhere in 1-5 years because this is the norm in technology careers.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
159 months ago
Wow, jumping ship from a great innovative company to one that is struggling to make a profit - things must be very bad behind close doors at apple :confused:
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Atlantico Avatar
159 months ago
AMD is an exciting place to work for these days, there's a bunch of new and groundbreaking designs AMD is pushing to the market and a lot of room for improvement - at Apple it's more focused on just one thing, the ARM architecture.

For chip engineers AMD is way more exciting than Apple. There's nothing really strange about this move. Great for AMD. :)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3282868 Avatar
159 months ago
Let's see

S.V.P. of Software Engineering Bertrand Serlet, gone (2009 but officially 2011) primarily responsible for the release of Mac OS X Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard. Board of Directors for Parallels, Inc.

S.V.P. of Software Engineering - empty since Serlet's (official) departure in 2011

S.V.P. of Software Engineering Craig Federighi, responsible for 10.7 and 10.8, 2011+

S.V.P. of Retail Ron Johnson, gone (2000 - 2011), became CEO for JCP, recently fired from said position.

S.V.P. of Retail John Browett, April - October 2012, fired.

No current S.V.P. of Retail, position filled by CEO Tim Cook

S.V.P. of User Interfaces Began at NeXT in 1992, then Apple after acquisition in 1997. Promoted to S.V.P. in Jan, 2003. Headed OS X Aqua interface, then head of iOS development. Fired on Oct, 2012 alongside S.V.P. John Browett, due to rumored conflicts with other Apple departments.

Jonny Ive is acting S.V.P. for Design Interfaces since Forstall's departure.

V.P. of iPod Engineering Tony Fadell Feb 2001-Nov 2008, founded Nest Labs and "Nest" thermostat

V.P. of iPod Engineering Mark Papermaster vetted in 2007, hired in 2008. Bob Mansfield expressed disdain for Papermaster to then CEO Steve Jobs. Left Apple in August, 2010 in the wake of the iPhone 4 antenna troubles, however it was later reported he left due to "broader cultural incompatibility" and a loss of confidence from then CEO Steve Jobs.

S.V.P. of Hardware Engineering Bob Mansfield, announced retirement on June 8th, 2012. Subsequently returned on August 27th, 2012 under Tim Cook, with reports indicating Scott Forstall's departure played a key role.

Director of Software then iOS Richard Williamson, 2002 - Nov, 2012, fired by Eddie Cue reportedly due to iOS 6's [failed] maps app, now with Facebook.

V.P. of Mobile Advertising Andy Miller, 2010 - 2011, reported directly to then CEO Steve Jobs.

Chief Microprocessing Architect Jim Keller 2008-2012, currently Corp. V.P. and Chief Architect for CPU Cores at AMD

C.T.O. of Graphics Raja Koduri, 2009-2013, returned to AMD

In recent years Apple has seen many executives and department heads come and go, some with no replacements.

What is going on???
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
159 months ago
Comments in red.

Let's see

S.V.P. of Software Engineering Bertrand Serlet, gone (2009 but officially 2011) primarily responsible for the release of Mac OS X Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard. Board of Directors for Parallels, Inc.

S.V.P. of Software Engineering - empty since Serlet's (official) departure in 2011

Is this really empty? Didn't Craig Federighi, who you have listed below, fill this position?

S.V.P. of Software Engineering Craig Federighi, responsible for 10.7 and 10.8, 2011+

S.V.P. of Retail Ron Johnson, gone (2000 - 2011), became CEO for JCP, recently fired from said position.

Johnson admitted he wanted to move on because he wanted a challenge. He had been running Apple retail since 2001; he was probably ready to do something different and JCP offered him a real challenge (and CEO position)

S.V.P. of Retail John Browett, April - October 2012, fired.

No current S.V.P. of Retail, position filled by CEO Tim Cook

S.V.P. of User Interfaces Began at NeXT in 1992, then Apple after acquisition in 1997. Promoted to S.V.P. in Jan, 2003. Headed OS X Aqua interface, then head of iOS development. Fired on Oct, 2012 alongside S.V.P. John Browett, due to rumored conflicts with other Apple departments.

Jonny Ive is acting S.V.P. for Design Interfaces since Forstall's departure.

Time will tell if Cook made the right decision in getting rid of Scott Forstall, but a lot of people seem to think it makes sense to have hardware and software design under the same leadership. And perhaps Ive wanted more responsibility, wanted to challenge himself more? It seems executives were in silos more under Steve than they are under Cook.

V.P. of iPod Engineering Tony Fadell Feb 2001-Nov 2008, founded Nest Labs and "Nest" thermostat

Fadell has said he (and his wife) were burned out. My guess is once the iPhone became the "it" product (and the iPod touch fell under the iPhone group) Fadell knew it was time to move on. Based on his comments about Forstall "getting what he deserved", one can assume the two did not get along, and perhaps that was another reason Fadell left.

V.P. of iPod Engineering Mark Papermaster vetted in 2007, hired in 2008. Bob Mansfield expressed disdain for Papermaster to then CEO Steve Jobs. Left Apple in August, 2010 in the wake of the iPhone 4 antenna troubles, however it was later reported he left due to "broader cultural incompatibility" and a loss of confidence from then CEO Steve Jobs.

S.V.P. of Hardware Engineering Bob Mansfield, announced retirement on June 8th, 2012. Subsequently returned on August 27th, 2012 under Tim Cook, with reports indicating Scott Forstall's departure played a key role.

I think everyone would agree keeping Mansfield is a good thing. Though from what I've read he really was planning to retire (he's been with Apple since 1999), so the fact he stayed on indicates to me he was given the freedom to work on some really cool stuff. I'm excited to see what comes out of this new Technologies group.

Director of Software then iOS Richard Williamson, 2002 - Nov, 2012, fired by Eddie Cue reportedly due to iOS 6's [failed] maps app, now with Facebook.

V.P. of Mobile Advertising Andy Miller, 2010 - 2011, reported directly to then CEO Steve Jobs.

Chief Microprocessing Architect Jim Keller 2008-2012, currently Corp. V.P. and Chief Architect for CPU Cores at AMD

C.T.O. of Graphics Raja Koduri, 2009-2013, returned to AMD

his job title was CTO? I didn't know Apple used C-level job titles, except for CFO and COO when Cook held that position.

In recent years Apple has seen many executives and department heads come and go, some with no replacements.

What is going on???

Is the turnover/churn at Apple greater than the average for tech companies? Or large companies in general? If you're at a VP level in a company does it look better on your CV if you've been with the same company for 20-30 years or if you've moved around and held high level positions at multiple corporations?

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Winni Avatar
159 months ago
Rats are always the first to leave a sinking ship.

That's because they are smarter than the other passengers.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)