AMD hires ex-Apple and Qualcomm chip experts, looks to move beyond PCs

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This is kind of interesting. In an effort to move beyond PCs and expand its market, AMD just hired two high-profile chip experts: Charles Matar of Qualcomm, and Wayne Meretsky, formally of Apple.

The company currently depends on the PC industry for 80% of its profits. And with sales in that business dropping due to rising demand for smartphones and tablets, it’s looking to shift gears quickly…

Reuters (via Engadget) has the scoop:

“Advanced Micro Devices Inc has hired two senior engineers with experience at Qualcomm Inc and Apple Inc, its latest high-level recruitments as it diversifies beyond a slowing personal computer industry, sources close to the chipmaker said.”

According to the publication, Charles Matar, who has a specific expertise in low-power and embedded chip design, has signed on with the chip-maker as the vice president of System-on-Chip Development.

Wayne Meretsky, who is known for his work on Macs and other products at Apple, was named vice president of software development. So basically, he will be in charge of software development for AMD’s chips.

Meretsky isn’t the first Apple chip expert to join up with AMD. In August of last year, Apple’s head mobile chip designer Jim Keller joined Mark Papermaster, who was once VP of iPhone engineering, at the company.

It’ll be interesting to see how all of this plays out for AMD, as it looks to make a name in the mobile space. It needs to do something quick, as it was forced to lay off 15% of its workforce last fall due to poor earnings.