AppleInsider Staff
In another low-key acquisition, Apple has bought Passif Semiconductor, a California communication chip developer that specializes in low-power designs — technology that could be useful in developing a smartwatch-like wearable device.
Details on the purchase were first reported on Thursday by Jessica Lessin, a tech reporter who formerly worked for The Wall Street Journal. Passif's current products include wireless radios for Bluetooth Low Energy profiles.
It's unknown how much Apple paid for Passif, but according to Lessin, the iPhone maker attempted to buy the chipmaker years ago "a for a price in the mid-tens-of-millions of dollars." The company confirmed that the deal took place, but did not divulge any specifics.
The acquisition may be linked to Apple's rumored "iWatch" development, an anticipated wrist-worn device that is expected to connect with devices like the iPhone while also measuring biometric data for fitness and health purposes.
Apple has also been aggressively hiring personnel from the medical sensor field in an apparent attempt to bolster its team for the rumored "iWatch." Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities expects such a device to debut in late 2014.
In a rare move, Apple has even openly filed for ownership of the iWatch name in a number of countries around the world.
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook revealed in May that his company had at that point acquired 9 companies since October of 2012. He also said that his company had picked up the pace since 2012, when Apple acquired companies at a rate of one every 70 days.
Since Cook's comments in May, Apple has acquired at least three more companies: In addition to Passif, it bought public transit and navigation firm HopStop, as well as crowdsourced mapping data startup Locationary. While the buyout of Passif will help Apple's future hardware, the benefits of the Locationary and HopStop purchases will most certainly be seen on the software front, through Apple's in-house Maps service.
Chip Loder
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Andrew Orr
12 Comments
It is time to start thinking outside of the mainstream analysts' way of thinking everything Apple might be doing is tied to a watch or television! Just by repeatedly writing articles that Apple is making a watch, nearly every big technology company is saying it is making a watch. Sony pushed hard to get a second version watch out the door before Apple's supposed watch. The company did not take the time to think about pushing the envelope with its watch. Sony is entrenched on the medical field with awesome hardware, but they came out with a watch Apple would hopefully never come out with. One of Tim Cook's favorite TV shows is the Jetsons. Think about the technology used in the Jetsons to get clues about where Apple is headed. The announcement of a patent that stores driver profiles on iPhones so a car can configure itself for the driver when the driver gets into the car can almost be seen in the Jetsons. The low-energy bluetooth technology enables iPhones and iPads to provide this capability while "sipping" battery life instead of gulping it. Tim Cook talked about biometrics being an interesting technology. If he is pushing Apple to think about biometric strings to pull then that is where analysts' thinking needs to point. And, all of it will be wrapped around the iPhone and maybe the iPod and iPad. The watch is nice, but please move on to something more exciting! As for the iWatch trademark, it is possible the trademark not for a watch at all, but something else like Maps... iWatch Traffic maybe?
maybe iWatch relates to the NSA spying program?
I'm not assuming that this is about a watch, belt, shoes, glasses or anything else. There is value in lower power needs for everything and that could be all this is about. Not a set up for a particular rumored product
Apple will make a watch. They will also make a lot more products that neatly interconnect.
Apple will make a watch. They will also make a lot more products that neatly interconnect.
yes, but that doesn't mean everything apple is doing in the industry is about making said watch.
Charlituna hits it on the head... it's performance X powerthriftiness X size, for just about EVERYTHING Apple makes, from the MBA, iPad, iPod, iPhone, and arguably, Apple TV, Mac Mini, and even the iMac. this acquisition can support all of them.
Apple has made particularly interesting acquisitions along those lines. Apple is playing a long game. They don't buy a company for 'the next product.' They buy a company for the next 'revolution of computing' (re: PA Semi, and how Apple is moving back to proprietary hardware under proprietary software).
This is quite simply is a long pull strategic move.