Apple has confirmed its purchase of Israel’s Anobit, a maker of flash storage technology, reports “Bloomberg” (http://macte.ch/IlFTM). Apple apparently paid upwards of US$500 million, although the company hasn’t elaborated on what it paid.
“Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans,” Apple spokesperson Steve Dowling told “Bloomberg.”
Anobit has developed a chip that enhances flash drive performance through signal processing, the article adds. The chip is already incorporated in Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad and the MacBook Air.
The Israel-based “Calcalist” publication says Apple is interested in Anobit’s technology to increase and enhance the memory volume and performance of its devices. The chip could double the memory volume in the new iPads and MacBooks.
Apple now has a guaranteed steady supply of high-performance controllers made by Anobit that make the NAND flash used in its mobile devices, especially in higher capacities, perform better. Anobit’s expertise could “potentially help Apple improve battery life and storage capacity in future devices, and also lower costs related to flash components, which are traditionally some of the most expensive single components used in the production of iOS hardware,” notes “GigOm” (http://macte.ch/uSBNy).