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:

Anthropic: https://bit.ly/acquiredclaude25 Statsig: https://bit.ly/acquiredstatsig25 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

More Acquired!

Get email updates • with hints on next episode and follow-ups from recent episodes Join the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Merch Store • !

© Copyright 2015-2025 ACQ, LLC