Acquired Episode 30: P.A. Semi + AuthenTec
01:15:02
P.A. Semi's origins
- P.A. Semi, founded in 2003, was originally called Palo Alto Semiconductor.
- It moved to Santa Clara shortly after, keeping P.A. Semi as its name.
ARM vs x86
- X86 chips, like Intel's, prioritize power, while ARM processors focus on low-power consumption.
- The rise of mobile devices demanded low-power, high-performance chips, like those from ARM.
Sibite's Success
- Dan Dobberpuhl, after leaving Intel, founded Sibite, focusing on chips for routers and networking gear.
- Sibite was acquired by Broadcom for over $2 billion before even releasing a product.
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Introduction
00:00 • 2min
The New Tis Approach to Getting Insights on a Company or Industry
01:33 • 2min
Investing in Your Business With Tegus
03:16 • 2min
Dot FM Podcast - Should We Dig Into It With the History and Facts?
05:04 • 3min
The Difference Between Arm and X 86?
08:02 • 5min
Steve Jobs' Mac OS X - The Mac Operating System in Secret
12:34 • 1min
Apple
13:58 • 4min
Is Apple Really Buying P A?
17:45 • 2min
Ipad - The Original Ipad Launched in January
19:51 • 2min
The Story of P Emi
21:58 • 3min
Sam Sung's Embedded Finger Print Authentication System
25:28 • 2min
Touch Idea Censer
27:21 • 2min
Is Apple Buying a Technology Company?
29:33 • 3min
Apple's Acquisition of a Semi Conductor and an Authentication Company?
32:34 • 2min
The Apple a Series Chip Has an Advantage That Other Manufacturers Don't Have.
34:24 • 2min
Is Apple Really Strict on Device Security?
36:09 • 2min
What Would Have Happened Without Apple?
38:38 • 3min
Is Apple Unlikely to Get Up an Atom?
41:49 • 4min
The Future of Machine Learning and Cloud Computing
46:06 • 4min
The Next Wave of Experiences
50:21 • 2min
Apple's Going to Win That Race, You Know?
52:00 • 2min
What's Differential Pricing?
53:38 • 3min
Is It Better Than Instigram and Nest Nest?
56:50 • 3min
Alaska Airlines, Virgin America, and Walmar
01:00:19 • 2min
Facebook
01:02:49 • 3min
The Situation - A Great Article
01:06:12 • 2min
Managing Humans by Sudo Patel
01:07:44 • 3min
Tegus and Co.
01:10:40 • 3min
Topics covered include:
- P.A. Semi’s original moniker ("Palo Alto Semiconductor”) and its celebrity founder (in the semiconductor world) Dan Dobberpuhl
- History of the back and forth tradeoffs between Intel’s powerful x86 chips and low power alternatives like ARM processors
- Dobberpuhl’s technology breakthroughs throughout his career that enabled true low-power + high-performance chips
- The initial target markets for P.A. Semi’s chips (surprise: NOT mobile phones)
- P.A. Semi’s first foray into a potential deal with Apple, dashed by Cupertino’s surprise switch to Intel processors in 2005
- The rise of mobile finally creating the huge market need for low-power / high-performance, Apple’s acquisition of P.A., and launch of the first Apple-designed chip, the “A4”, with the original iPad in 2010
- Geekbench: the single-core performance of Apple’s latest generation of smartphone processors (A10 Fusion) has basically caught up with Intel’s laptop CPUs
- AuthenTec’s beginnings in the late 90’s as a spinoff from the defense contractor Harris Corporation (named by Wired Magazine as the #2 threat to internet privacy in the US), based in Melbourne, Florida
- Early versions of the technology that became TouchID, the sensors for which were many times larger than today’s iPhones themselves!
- AuthenTec “not very Apple-like” website on Archive.org (and screenshot)
- AuthenTec’s deal that almost was to put their technology and sensors into Samsung’s flagship phones
- Apple’s acquisition of AuthenTec for $356 million in July 2012, and the rapid introduction of TouchID in the iPhone 5S one year later in September 2013
Sponsors:
WorkOS: https://bit.ly/workos25
Sentry: https://bit.ly/acquiredsentry
ServiceNow: https://bit.ly/acquiredsn
Followups:
- Merging of Alaska & Virgin America loyalty programs (woo!)
- Walmart announces major reorg following the Jet acquisition
- Snap Inc. IPO drama is mounting! (we can’t wait to cover this one)
The Carve Out:
- Ben: Rands in Repose: The Situation
- David: Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
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