Apple buys chip designer PA Semi for $278 million

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 90
    zandroszandros Posts: 537member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by webmail View Post


    Just to be clear before the rumors go crazy....



    This is NOT because of iPhones & iPods (could be an extra reason)

    This is NOT for desktop macs (mostly)



    This IS for new computing device, aka the "tablet pda" style device that has long been rumored.



    At least this is what I've heard.



    Oh, just shut up. This is just awesome, we can revive the Powerbook G5 next tuesday rumours!



    /Adrian
  • Reply 22 of 90
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Maestro64 View Post


    They are very few SEMI companies these days that own their own foundries. Most are fab-less these days that is nothing new.



    Like I said there is other ways to get what you need from a Semi Company without buying it. All this is going to do is diver money and resources away from what Apple does well. Also since company is fab-less that means Apple now has to compete for fab time and Apple will be a small player in a very large market. Even big guy in fab-less SEMI have capacity issues with the big foundries out there. Foundry time is given to the highest margin products.



    They could be buying the people, but if your a SEMI person why would you want to work for Systems company, the good people will leave because they will want to work on the next great great thing not what apple think is in their best interest.



    Plus it creates a threat with other SEMI supplier who will be less than willing to share ideas because they are afraid those ideas might get used internally. Motorola shed its semi business for this exact reason, Other SEMI company did not want to work with them because they lost out too many times to Motorola's own internal SEMI business units.



    Even IBM has shed some of it SEMI business for similar reasons.



    It will be interesting to hear the reason has why they felt they needed to own a SEMI business.



    As I said in the duplicate thread, my guess is that they are buying IP and designers that they will use in partnership with someone like Samsung or Intel...licensing in order to gain a cost and schedule advantage over competitors.



    I think it's unlikely they'll go the Sun route and design chips for an external fab to build for them.



    All in all I think its a good move for Apple.
  • Reply 23 of 90
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by huntercr View Post


    No, no, you're missing the point. Apple is buying them for their brain power, chip design facilities, etc. They're not going to let the business continue to operate. They're raiding business for the people and the property. The company will do custom design and research for Apple.



    I don't see this as a blow to Intel either. Intel just doesn't have what they need right now. You can't pin your hopes on something that may not be delivered when you need it. Apple was stuck in that position with IBM when they started blowing off Apple's G5 needs.



    Bingo!



    This is similar to the FingerWorks acquisition to get MultiTouch.



    At the very least, Apple gets a proven, talented, team that can negotiate/influence Intel and other chip mfgrs. to produce what Apple needs.



    If the chips can be manufactured in quantity, and meet Apple's needs better than other chips... "Damn the torpedos..."



    OS X and all of Apple's apps (except Pro Apps) and most 3rd-party apps already run on this architecture so Apple can use this chip (if available) on anything including iPods, iPhones, AirPorts, AppleTVs, Minis, Tablets, Portables, Desktops, Mac Pros (multiple chips), servers, routers, whatever.



    The I/O capability of this chip is amazing.



    Hmmm.... what kind of small, portable, quiet, low-power, hi-I/O devices running OS X could Apple be planning?



    Also, since Apple will now be licensed to manufacture chips with the IBM PPC instruction set, who's to say that they can't contract others to do the actual manufacturing... say, maybe... Oh Intel?
  • Reply 24 of 90
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member




    "Swipe" up to 9 docks!
  • Reply 25 of 90
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cwoloszynski View Post


    The iPhone processor is probably 1W or so; this is for a new breed of laptops. I think now that OSX is ready for multiple architectures, Apple is leveraging this to keep ahead of one-processor competitors.



    You are correct, a 5-13W chips is not for the iPhone, but neither is the 2GHz speed that is quoted. Their current product has no bearing on Apple's current product line. Apple would have to make a completely new device, or more likely, P.A. Semi would have to create an entirely new chip.
  • Reply 26 of 90
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by webmail View Post


    This IS for new computing device, aka the "tablet pda" style device that has long been rumored.



    At least this is what I've heard.



    I was told "think knowledge navigator + iphone + crack = "



    By whom? That pda is called "the iPhone" by the way. Let's be clear about that. A pda and a tablet are not the same product.
  • Reply 27 of 90
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    <image>





    I wondered how long it would take to get you to post another iTablet pic on this thread.
  • Reply 28 of 90
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Olternaut View Post


    Yes but........

    With Apple buying this company just now will they be able to come out with such a wonderous product by at least ............Macworld 09?? \



    I was thinking if this deal is going public now they could have been working on products ages ago, but signed a NDA well before this.
  • Reply 29 of 90
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post




    I wondered how long it would take to get you to post another iTablet pic on this thread.



    But that's not an iTablet, it's a Mac touch!
  • Reply 30 of 90
    tinktink Posts: 395member
    It's the G7!
  • Reply 31 of 90
    merdheadmerdhead Posts: 587member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Maestro64 View Post


    Ok this is about the dumbest idea they could have done. They are not in the Semi business, this is just going to drag them down.



    Companies need to focus on what they do well, and Apple does not do SEMI well. I can see having a controlling interest or making investments to ensure your ideal are heard and solutions are provided but owning and operating it will only burn resources that could be used else where.



    Yeah, you're right, for instance they co-founded ARM and we all know what a disaster that was.
  • Reply 32 of 90
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    But that's not an iTablet, it's a Mac touch!



    Soooooooooooory.\



    Can I place a cell phone on the Mac Touch can have it give me useless information? No, then i think Ill stick with the MS Surface.
  • Reply 33 of 90
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Soooooooooooory.\



    Can I place a cell phone on the Mac Touch can have it give me useless information? No, then i think Ill stick with the MS Surface.



    "Surface" - tables are portable too.
  • Reply 34 of 90
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Apple doesn't buy Adobe!
  • Reply 35 of 90
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
  • Reply 36 of 90
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    here



    I thought so...
    Quote:

    3) I wonder if this is the company that was upset when Apple chose Intel and made claims that Apple was in heavy talks with them and had a more efficient and powerful chip. If so, this buyout could be in lieu of a lawsuit.



  • Reply 37 of 90
    leonardleonard Posts: 528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GregAlexander View Post


    And yet - PA Semi is designing a processor (and related technologies). It outsources the building of the technologies to other companies...

    (PA Semi might have designed the "iPhone" of the cpu industry...?)



    edit: And PA Semi might have just the right engineers for Apple to work on the incredibly integrated technologies of future handheld devices.



    This purchase may really be Apple buying them out of a hole.. a company with a great design, compatible with PPC (which is relatively good for Apple), no customers and no cash left to make a real go of themselves.



    It's possible Apple tried to buy exclusive rights to the chip, and the owners of PA Semi said why not just buy us entirely.





    I think your edit statement maybe closer to the point then the rest of your post. I have a feeling it's less about a processor and more about getting staff to help design/prototype future handheld/consumer devices. Apple needs people, not processors and this may be their way of getting those people.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Huntercr


    No, no, you're missing the point. Apple is buying them for their brain power, chip design facilities, etc. They're not going to let the business continue to operate. They're raiding business for the people and the property. The company will do custom design and research for Apple.



    I think you may be on the right track. It's hard to find the people. It's easy to find processors.
  • Reply 38 of 90
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    Apple doesn't buy Adobe!



    Adobe's market cap is about $19.6 billion. Apple could not pay for them

    out of petty cash the way they did PA Semi.
  • Reply 39 of 90
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Quote:

    Ok this is about the dumbest idea they could have done. They are not in the Semi business, this is just going to drag them down.



    Not necessarily. Intel has said that Apple has really challenged them in ways they have never been challenged.



    It was Apple's challenge for Intel to come up with the family of chips that is now in the MB Air and in other sub-notebooks.



    Quote:

    With Apple buying this company just now will they be able to come out with such a wonderous product by at least ............Macworld 09??



    Its more than likely Apple and PA Semi have been working together for awhile now. Its possible this acquisition has happened right before the introduction of the product that will come from their collaboration.



    Apple has done this before. Such as with Fingerworks that provided the touch screen technology.



    Quote:

    While they don't have any mobile chis listed, they do have staff familiar with StrongARM, and it would seem a very knowledge and experienced staff. This does lay credence to more powerful iDevices being considered by Apple. Since StrongARM and ARM are not fully compatible this would make it harder for hackers to port Mobile OS X to other ARM devices when the average smartphone gets on par with the current iPhone.



    PA Semi wanted to be a major PC chip provider like Intel and AMD. They also wanted to provide these chips for Apple.



    I would imagine since Apple going Intel, secretly both parties began going in a different direction. The company prides itself on producing energy saving chips. That is a paramount feature mobile devices need.
  • Reply 40 of 90
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Maestro64 View Post


    Ok this is about the dumbest idea they could have done. They are not in the Semi business, this is just going to drag them down.

    Companies need to focus on what they do well, and Apple does not do SEMI well.



    Your comment reminds me of all the cell phone manufacturer statements after Apple announced plans to release a cell phone in early 2007. Those very same companies are now trying to play catch up.
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