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Pretty impressive that Apple is capable of such CPU disruption with just a few small acquisitions. Is PA Semi the main reason for this, or could Apple have been
by chucknelson 13y ago
Pretty impressive that Apple is capable of such CPU disruption with just a few small acquisitions. Is PA Semi the main reason for this, or could Apple have been building up a CPU design team for years before that acquisition?
- ddebernardy 13y agoIf memory serves, Cook mentioned that Apple's semiconductor division was larger than Intel during one of the last investor conference calls.
- sliverstorm 13y agoWhat? Apple has 80,000 employees. Intel has 105,000. So I doubt any Apple division is larger than Intel, if you catch my drift.
- MrVitaliy 13y agoI doubt all 105k Intel employees are hardware engineers. Half of them are probably sales.
- qq66 13y ago52% of Apple employees are in Apple Stores through the retail division.
- Theodores 13y agoMeanwhile ARM is just a couple of (thousand) guys in Cambridge, drinking tea and talking about the weather.
- sliverstorm 13y agoHe said 'bigger than Intel', not 'bigger than Intel's same department'
- bryanlarsen 13y agoIs a $270 million acquisition a small acquisition these days? Not to mention the fact that they acquired a team responsible for two large CPU disruptions: DEC Alpha and StrongARM. A third disruption is perhaps not so surprising.
- chucknelson 13y agoJust seems like billion is the new million when acquisitions are concerned, but yes, I guess it wasn't that small overall. Did not realize PA Semi was founded by a lead designer at DEC. Thanks for the info, and Wikipedia filled in the rest for me :)
- rch 13y agoDidn't some of the Transmeta people end up at PA Semi too?