Apple’s recent hiring spree of chip designers reveals the company’s plans to manufacture computer processors in-house.
The Wall Street Journal cites profiles on professional networking site LinkedIn, which lists more than 100 Apple employees with past expertise in chips at companies such as Intel, Samsung and Qualcomm.
These recruitments, coupled with Apple’s 2008 acquisition of semiconductor company PA Semi, serve as strong evidence that the company is moving toward chip design for its hardware, including Macs, iPhones and iPods. Such a move would reduce Apple’s dependence on Intel, which manufacturers processors for current Mac computers, and Samsung, which provides an ARM-based microprocessor for the iPhone.
In November, Wired.com also speculated that Apple was moving toward in-house chip manufacturing when the company hired former IBM executive Mark Papermaster. Papermaster was a key player in developing the PowerPC chips used in previous-generation Macs.
With control over processor production, Apple will be able to design exclusive features for its gadgets and better guard its secrets from rivals. Wall Street Journal’s anonymous sources, who claim they are familiar with Apple’s plans, predict the internally designed chips will appear in products no sooner than 2010.
See Also:
- Apple’s Core Could Soon Include In-House Chips
- Apple Acquires Obscure Processor Company — Lightning Fast iPods …
- Apple Scrambling for iPhone Flash Chips
- Apple and Intel: Still Best Friends Forever
In Major Shift, Apple Builds Its Own Team to Design Chips [WSJ]
Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by publisher on April 30, 2009
