Reasons Behind Apple's Strategic Shift Into Chip Design
According to individuals "familiar with the matter", Apple's current chip plans include lower power designs to prolong battery life in the iPhone and iPod touch as well as improved graphics circuitry for better gaming and HD video playback. In addition to whatever competitive advantage Apple might get with their own custom designed chips, another benefit would be the ability to maintain more secrecy over their products.
People familiar with Apple's thinking say executives have expressed concern that some information shared with outside vendors could find its way into chips sold to Apple competitors
Jobs reportedly told P.A. Semi engineers that he specifically wanted to develop chips within Apple to prevent knowledge of them leaking out. Apple, of course, is well known for their secrecy. This secrecy has been harder to maintain in recent years due to the number of partners Apple must work with in launching a product. With the iPhone, we've seen rumors coming from both component suppliers as well as mobile carriers who need to be briefed about upcoming releases.The Wall Street Journal points out, however, that this trend is contrary to most big electronic firms who have moved towards outsourcing components in an effort to reduce costs. Apple is not expected to launch products based on these internally designed chips until next year at the earliest.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)now that they do have an own chip designer, why not use them to make the system further propriotary
edit:
to make myself clearer, i'm not talking about a custom CPU, just a custom chip that only let the system boot when present. a chip that only apple has on their logicboards.
maybe apple just wants to have a special chip that only lets the Mac OS X boot if the chip is available, and therefor making it harder for hackintoshs to get built.
now that they do have an own chip designer, why not use them to make the system further propriotary
Ultra low power, specialised processors I can see happening. Desktop/laptop/workstation processors, no way, and rightly so. Leave those to the pro's.
Seems like a great idea on many fronts. I think Apple will try to move away from mainstream outsourced components wherever they can in the next few years. Especially as we all move away from traditional computers to more embedded devices.
It's like Ren and Skimpy. A plot to take over the world.
I need a job. Good vibe, thoughts and prayers please. First year anniversary in a few days, vacation cancelled as I was let go. Hugely depressed and bummed.
Because it would be insanity. Do you know how much Intel spend on R&D, then the factories to make the chips? Apple would soon burn through their cash pile.
Ultra low power, specialised processors I can see happening. Desktop/laptop/workstation processors, no way, and rightly so. Leave those to the pro's.
the cell phone industry sells over 1 billion units every year, and the number is probably going to grow from that once the economic downturn is over. apple sells 25m, if we include touch in the number. chip industry has huge scale economies, so it's extremely difficult to see how apple could produce competitive offering on that front. in user interfaces apple has been able to differentiate from the rest, how this would work on component level...
I need a job. Good vibe, thoughts and prayers please. First year anniversary in a few days, vacation cancelled as I was let go. Hugely depressed and bummed.
Sending good vibes your way... best of luck.
:apple:
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