Apple seems to be making moves to poach additional staff from Imagination Technologies, the British chip designer behind the GPUs used in iOS devices. Per the Telegraph, Apple has established its own GPU design team in offices just a few miles from Imagination’s offices in St. Albans.
The report states that Apple has already hired individuals such as COO John Metcalfe and that in setting up the localized office, they’ll be able to recruit Imagination staff members without requiring them to move or relocate.
Apple gave Imagination notice that it would be designing its own GPU chips in future, and that it expected to achieve this within two years, at which point it would cease license payments. Imagination responded by invoking the dispute-resolution clause in its contract, and claimed that Apple would not be able to design a graphic chip without using its patented technology.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.