Thursday, September 29, 2011

MacDailyNews: A few lines of Apple code could signal huge opportunity for Marvell

MacDailyNews
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A few lines of Apple code could signal huge opportunity for Marvell
Sep 29th 2011, 19:16

Sep 29, 2011 - 03:49 PM EDT — AAPL: 388.75 (-8.26, -2.08%) | NASDAQ: 2469.82 (-21.76, -0.87%)

Thursday, September 29, 2011 · 3:16 pm · 3 Comments

"There was quite a buzz late this month generated by the news Apple (AAPL) added a few lines to the code that provide support for Marvell Technology Group's (MRVL) new quad-core Armada XP processor," Paul McWilliams reports for MoneyShow.

"Speculation was rampant and included rumors there was a new MacBook Air in the works that would use MRVL in place of the current Intel (INTC) offering," McWilliams reports. "Other rumors suggested AAPL was in the process of designing a new server to be used for internal applications like iTunes or the new iCloud."

McWilliams writes, "As I wrote several years ago, when AAPL purchased Palo Alto Semiconductor (PA Semi), and reiterated when AAPL bought an architectural license from ARM Holdings (ARMH), I think there is a risk that AAPL will move its computing platform to an internally designed ARMH core chip. However, due to the acceleration of INTC's roadmap, I think the date of that risk has been at least pushed out, if not averted entirely."

"So, if not the MacBook Air or a new server design, the question lingers—why would AAPL adapt for the new MRVL processor? As I see it, there are two rational reasons. One would be to evaluate the MRVL chip in comparison to an upcoming AAPL-designed quad-core processor," McWilliams writes. "The second possibility I see is using MRVL in an entirely new iOS device—maybe the rumored iTV. While it would seem that a quad-core processor would be overkill for a TV, I think we have to assume that if AAPL in fact releases a TV under its brand name, it will be quite different from what we're used to seeing."

Read more in the full article here.

[Attribution: Minyanville. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Ellis D" for the heads up.]

Related article:
Hidden code in Apple's Xcode reveals support for quad-core ARM CPUs for future iPhones, iPads, maybe even MacBook Airs – September 23, 2011

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