Apple seen beefing up its chip design efforts

John Walko, EETimes
(05/01/2009 8:44 AM EDT)

LONDON — The confirmation earlier this week that Apple has hired two former ATI/AMD chip designers has rekindled suggestions that the company is handpicking a team of engineers and semiconductor specialists as it seeks to create its own semiconductor design business.

The feeling has been reinforced as Apple has, over the past few months, made a number of strategic acquisitions and investments, including the purchase for about $277 million of P.A. Semi last year and taking a 3.6 percent stake in Imagination Technologies Group plc (Kings Langley, England), the graphics intellectual property licensor.

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