Episode 30: P.A. Semi + AuthenTec

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

Sierra: https://bit.ly/acquiredsierra

Sentry: https://bit.ly/acquiredsentry

Anthropic: https://bit.ly/acquiredclaude25


 

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






More Acquired!


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