Apple Inc (AAPL)

[langostino]

Apple goes shopping

http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/23/apple-buys-pasemi-tech-ebiz-cz_eb_0422apple.html


As important as the acquisition, may be what the reported negotiations tell us about possible succession. If the reports are true, and it was Jobs and Fadell negotiating the deal, it looks like Fadell may be leapfrogging Tim Cook in Jobs' eyes.

As for the strategic ramifications, if this is a move to keep Apple's options open and provide negotiating leverage with Intel, it's one thing. If this signals Apple is going to build the future of its mobile handheld platform on another proprietary architecture, it is something else altogether.

Few would argue that the move to Intel architecture has been a major positive for Apple. Or that the decision to pursue the proprietary architecture of the PowerPC partnership was a serious drag on the platform for many years. I suspect that fewer still would argue if Apple elects to go back down the path of proprietary architecture, it will result in higher design and production costs, higher product costs, and that the risk of a repeat of the dog-days of the PowerPC performance gap would be a significant and legitimate concern.