Details emerge on Apple's acquisition of chip designer P.A. Semi

There weren't a whole lot of firm details on the reasons behind Apple's acquisition of chip designer P.A. Semi to be had back when the deal was announced last month, but it seems that a bit of the veil of mystery may now be lifting, at least if the word EETimes is hearing from its unnamed source is to be believed. Apparently, Apple was keen to have P.A. Semi's crack chip-making team design a new chip for them, but P.A. Semi had "more or less burnt through its venture capital funds," leaving them unable to take on the project. According to EETimes source, that meant that the only way to get P.A. Semi involved was for Apple to pay off all of P.A.'s investors and bring the company in-house, something they were able to do for a mere $280 million or so. Of course, as EETimes points out, the big question remaining is exactly what it is that Apple wants P.A. Semi to help it out with, and that's a detail we'd expect to take considerably longer to trickle out.

[Via Mac Rumors]

[JAmerican @ May 8th 2008 12:09AM]

They are going to start making their own CPUs called iPUs. In a year after release, they will own more than half the CPU market share.

[Oliver @ May 8th 2008 12:14AM]

As in Integrated Processing Unit? ;)

[Ace b @ May 8th 2008 12:22AM]

Nope.iPU as in i Played U.

[turn.self.off @ May 8th 2008 7:48AM]

would that not be i Powned U?

[Twitchy @ May 8th 2008 9:16PM]

It's spelled 'pwned'.

[JakeB @ May 8th 2008 12:35AM]

I think Apple might be pissed that Intel creates a CPU for Apple Macbook Air and is probably now selling it or thinking abut selling it (haven't heard anything but a CPU that small that runs that fast has got to be worth something to the PC makers). I think that Apple is just trying to keep everything about their computers and innovations a secret and kept inside the Apple walls instead of sharing with the rest of the world so other companies can make it better. That's right all you Apple fanboys, Apple doesnt make the best that works on the front end but not the back end, they make the newest and hide it from others who can make it better. LOL, all speculation and theories right now.

[John @ May 8th 2008 12:44AM]

Jake—

See me after class.

D-

[Reader @ May 8th 2008 2:33AM]

No on all fronts.

[w00t @ May 8th 2008 4:50AM]

The processor in the Air was part of Intel's roadmap and was simply a package shrink (same die size) of an existing processor, Apple got it early for the Air and nothing else...

[JAmerican @ May 8th 2008 12:41AM]

If anything x86 goes down. Intel will know about it!

[Porkchop Flavored Cupcake @ May 8th 2008 12:52AM]

I've been really interested in this development since it first broke.
With so very little known about the plans though, it's difficult to determine what motivated Apple to do this in the first place; discounting the profits and pure technological superiority it could potentially hold.

I do think it's safe to say they wouldn't make this move unless they knew it could benefit them, and hopefully by extension, their customer's greatly.

Not to mention it also allows them to regain a little bit of that hush hush M.O. they so lovingly prided themselves on.

[Laughing Man @ May 8th 2008 12:52AM]

No the will build their stuff in house, for their computers, and go back to the old ways with their G cores. You are probably right about them being iCPU's. They will suck, Apple will go back to being a Zenophobic dick, with far less options with their own equipment.

Can you say, bye bye mainstream game support?

[Haxxy @ May 8th 2008 1:18AM]

I'm sure Apple now understands the importance of universal compatibility, as shown by their Universal "campaign" and, of course, Boot Camp. If they do end up implementing some breakthrough processor, they'd most likely emulate more dated processing environments, such as x64 does with x86 applications.

[Luis @ May 8th 2008 12:55AM]

It's probably for some iPod/iPhone related DSP chip, I doubt Apple would be stupid enough to try to make their own CPUs or GPUs

[Jack @ May 8th 2008 1:06AM]

God I hope so.

[Chris McDowell @ May 8th 2008 1:21AM]

Apple is already on the in with a chip manufacturer. they own part of the Power PC group with IBM. If they wanted a chip manufacturer for cpu's they already have that. I would think this is something for their mobile phone or iPod line. They bought the talent from P.A. and their tech. P.A. does not have any chip manufacturing facilities. I would not think Apple would do such a push for intel then jump ship so soon.

This three-way collaboration became known as AIM alliance, for Apple, IBM, Motorola.

They had a better chance then of launching their own processor line then they do now.

[tekdroid @ May 8th 2008 1:39AM]

Luis @ May 8th 2008 12:55AM

It's probably for some iPod/iPhone related DSP chip, I doubt Apple would be stupid enough to try to make their own CPUs or GPUs
------------
Agreed. First post with some sense.

[monkfishbandana @ May 8th 2008 6:34AM]

This is going to offend a lot of OMG MAC FANBOIZ!!1!!, however, if Apple decide to change the chip (which they haven't said yet, obviously, hence why I said 'if') and I can't install Windows on it or run easily ported programs - I'm not buying another one.

[Tony Bowman @ May 8th 2008 9:31AM]

tablet ultraportable. you heard it here first.

[Laughing Man @ May 8th 2008 12:20PM]

First off it is the x86-64, but we aren't getting into that. Second, sure they will. There understanding is why they shared the FireWire implementation code to everyone so people could use it as a standard for all devices.....oh wait no they didn't.

[Odd TSi @ May 8th 2008 3:44PM]

You guys are overlooking the obvious. Gaming. Apple has wanted in on gaming for a while now. This company will most likely be building a chip for a handheld gaming device that will have iPhone/iPod functionality.

Bookmark my post so you know where to find it when my prediction comes true.