Apple Acquires Low-Power Chip Maker P.A. Semi

In a surprise move, Apple has acquired fabless chip maker P.A. Semi, who specialize in low-powered chips. P.A. Semi’s founder, Dan Dobberpuhl, was the lead designer for both the StrongARM and DEC Alpha processors, and the companies current team consists of engineers who worked on AMD’s Opteron, Intel’s Itanium and also Sun’s UltraSPARC.

This move is an interesting one thanks to Apple’s strong relationship with Intel. With Atom now rolling out, speculation was that Apple would begin using the new low-powered chips in future iPhone and iPod revisions, but with this acquisition, it’s certainly not looking that way. According to Forbes, one of the reasons for the purchase could be due to Atom’s popularity, and with Apple’s own chip maker, it would help the company to differentiate their product from the hundreds of clones available.

P.A. Semi’s processors, “PWRficient”, are based on a similar architecture that Apple left behind right before moving in with Intel, that arch being Power. If these chips will indeed be used in future Apple devices, then it may prove difficult for hobbyist developers. It’s much easier to code an application for a variety of devices that share the same CPU architecture, so if the iPhone begins using a Power-based chip, it could prove great for Apple, bad for developers. It’s still much too early to speculate, however.

The decision to center the iPhone design around a chip that Apple could own marks a significant strategic choice by Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs, and is aimed at ensuring Apple can continue to differentiate its flagship phone as a raft of competitors flood the market. According to a source affiliated with the chip company, Jobs and Senior Vice President Tony Fadell led the tiny group of executives who spearheaded the acquisition, which included negotiations that took place in Jobs’ home.

Source: Forbes