Neither Apple nor Intel has commented on the report. It’s also not clear exactly what Thyagarajan is doing in his new role (he describes it solely as “Architecture” in his LinkedIn bio), although wireless chipset design is the most likely explanation given his background.

Apple hasn’t been shy about its intentions to make its own cellular chipsets. The company has been recruiting relevant talent for a while, and went so far as to expand its presence in San Diego in a move interpreted as an attempt to recruit Qualcomm staff. However, Thyagarajan’s hire is a particularly huge coup for Apple — it shows the company is determined to snap up top-level talent as it starts on cellular hardware, including people from its erstwhile partners.