Apple buys 1394 chip and software supplier Zayante

Apple buys 1394 chip and software supplier Zayante
By Semiconductor Business News
April 4, 2002 (4:35 p.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020404S0006

CUPERTINO, Calif. -- Apple Computer Inc. today announced it has acquired 1394 FireWire chip and software supplier Zayante Inc., based in nearby Scotts Valley, to strengthen its serial connection technology for high-speed transfer of data from CDs, video systems, and other peripherals between Mac computers and iPod systems.

Apple, the inventor of FireWire technology, did not disclose the terms of the acquisition. Privately-held Zayante was founded in 1996 and is a supplier of 1394 silicon and software for consumer and computer systems.

The acquisition of Zayante is an extension of Apple's commitment to FireWire for high-speed digital interface solution, said Jon Rubinstein, senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple Computer. "FireWire is the best technology to connect digital devices that need to transfer lots of data quickly -- such as transferring an entire CD from your Mac to your iPod in less than a second," he added.