It was just a couple weeks ago that Apple bought PA Semi, a custom PowerPC chip design firm. But now that a few details about the acquisition are leaking out, a new light has begun to shine on this subject. According to an EETimes post, Apple considered buying PA Semi back in 2005, prior to the Intel switch. Oh yeah, and one minor detail ... Apple has been an investor in the company since that time. When Apple started using Intel chips, that move sent a death threat to PA Semi.Per the EETimes story, Apple came along to purchase a new chip from PA Semi. PA Semi didn't have enough investor funding to undertake a new project. So, what does Apple do? They pay off the investors and buy the whole company. Apple bought PA Semi for $278 million -- no pocket change, that's for sure. How important could this chip be for Apple to pay that much money? Well it might just be for a new tablet Mac (remember, you heard this rumor here first).
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-07-2008 @ 8:36PM
kevnin said...
...or something for the iphone.
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5-07-2008 @ 8:38PM
dagamer34 said...
Tablet Mac rumor has existed since the dawn of time. Don't claim fame to something that isn't yours!
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5-07-2008 @ 9:00PM
Ed said...
Whatever it is, it's something big. We're unlikely to see it until MacWorld '09 or maybe even later, I think. They're going to want to focus on the iPhone this year.
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5-07-2008 @ 9:18PM
terpack said...
2010 the Year of the X!!!
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5-07-2008 @ 9:20PM
julian said...
no way.
we've all discussed this before
Apples is NOT switching back from Intel
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5-07-2008 @ 9:36PM
mattyohe said...
Cory, you're going to have a hard time saying "I told you so" considering a tablet-like Mac has been in the air forever.
If you've got something of substance, spill it.
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5-07-2008 @ 11:48PM
Virtuous said...
News like this makes great fodder for blogs such as TUAW.
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5-08-2008 @ 3:12PM
Poncho Pilate said...
Apple have been investing in processor technology for decades, particularly the ARM architecture of which the founder of PA Semi worked on extensively.
This is NOT news.
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