Apple in Talks to Buy Israeli Flash Storage Company Anobit for Over $400 Million

anobitAs noted by TechCrunch, Calcalist (Hebrew) reports that Apple is considering purchasing an Israel-based company called Anobit for $400-$500 million.

Anobit is a fabless semiconductor company that specializes in flash storage. According to their website:

Anobit provides flash storage solutions for the Enterprise and Mobile markets. It's MSP™ (Memory Signal Processing) technology significantly improves the endurance, performance and cost of flash storage products and systems. Anobit's products are used by world leading flash manufacturers, consumer electronics vendors and storage system providers.

Calcalist reports that Apple already relies on Anobit's technology in the iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air. Apple's interest in the company is related to their ability increase the amount of flash memory storage in a device and improve long term reliability. A Storage-Switzerland article describes the company's MSP technology:

Essentially this means they can detect flash problems in flash cells when they're much older, allowing them to extend the usable life of MLC flash significantly longer than other manufacturers. The net of this ability is Anobit's flash products have much longer endurance than comparable products from other vendors. They claim commercial-grade MLC endurance comparable to that of SLC flash from other manufacturers. Theoretically, this would enable users to replace SLC flash with the more economical MLC products.

A $400-$500 million acquisition price would make Anobit one of Apple's largest acquisitions ever. Prior to that, you have to go back to 1997 when Apple paid $404 million to acquire NeXT, Inc, bringing Steve Jobs back to the company.

Flash memory has been a key component in Apple's products over the past decade. Apple has made strategic bets on Flash storage in the past by pre-purchasing large amounts to ensure a constant supply. Apple's reliance on Flash remains with the ongoing popularity of the iPhone and shift in notebooks to SSD.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone

Tuesday March 25, 2025 6:45 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 to the general public as soon as next week, following more than a month of beta testing. Apple's website says some iOS 18.4 features will be released in "early April," so the update should be out as early as Tuesday, April 1. Apple this week seeded the iOS 18.4 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, barring the discovery of any...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 Release Candidate With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music and More

Monday March 24, 2025 10:07 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth betas. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. With iOS 18.4, Apple is adding the Priority Notifications...
airpods max 2024 colors

Don't Buy Into Apple's Hype About AirPods Max Gaining Lossless Audio

Monday March 24, 2025 4:24 pm PDT by
Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4. For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3 and AAC (Advanced Audio Codec), which...
iOS 18

Top 5 New Features Coming in iOS 18.4

Friday March 21, 2025 3:26 pm PDT by
We're not getting new Siri Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.4 as expected, but the upcoming update does have quite a few new additions that will be worth upgrading for. We've rounded up the five best features to look forward to, and if you're not running the beta, you can expect to get access to these in early April. Priority Notifications If you have an iPhone or iPad that supports...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Foldable iPhone Expected to Launch Next Year, Costing Around $2,000

Monday March 24, 2025 3:43 am PDT by
Apple will launch its long-rumored foldable iPhone next year with a ~$2,000 premium price tag attached, expects well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. Gurman's comments on Apple's launch plans for its first foldable device appeared in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter. Earlier this month, the reporter said Apple's foldable iPhone could be arriving "as early as 2026,"...
ios 19 messages app

Here's What Apple's iOS 19 Messages App Might Look Like

Tuesday March 25, 2025 11:52 am PDT by
Leaker Jon Prosser today shared a mockup of what he says the Messages app will look like in iOS 19, demoing an interface with rounded, translucent bubble-shaped navigation buttons at the top and softer, rounder corners for the keyboard and word suggestions. Jon Prosser's Messages app mockup The return button, a button for going back to the Messages list, and the FaceTime button have a deeper...

Top Rated Comments

kalsta Avatar
173 months ago
Prior to that, you have to go back to 1997 when Apple paid $404 million to acquire NeXT, Inc, bringing Steve Jobs back to the company.

Now that was a good deal.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adder7712 Avatar
173 months ago
Flash storage is stupid. The cloud is the future.

There are certain things that I want to have physically stored. I don't really mind flash storage, I'm just hoping >512GB SSDs are within affordable price.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cameronjpu Avatar
173 months ago
This move is most likely that Apple can secure flash storage but its more due to the fact that they can now keep their storage prices sky high for the forseeble future. Apple have to be the greediest most extortionate company in the business. They make great products but boy, they are greedy :apple:
All companies are equally greedy (that's the point!). Apple just happens to have products that everyone wants.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
grahamnp Avatar
173 months ago
Flash storage is stupid. The cloud is the future.

Accessing the cloud is slower than HDD access which flash intends to replace. From a performance standpoint, it is a step backward. Also, what happens when you have no internet?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CplBadboy Avatar
173 months ago
Flash storage is stupid. The cloud is the future.

Yeah it would be if EVeRYONE had access to speedy networks. I think less onboard storage will be the future but ultimately cloud storage has its benefits. They compliment each other well.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KnightWRX Avatar
173 months ago
With this move and doing their own ARM chip in house, Apple is starting to get very vertical in their supply chain.

Apple still has no manufacturing capabilities. Only design. This is a fab-less company.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)