Report: Google Buys Startup Staffed By Former PA Semi Names

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What’s up with Google now? That’s the question being asked about the Internet giant’s acquisition of a mysterious startup run by former Apple employees. The San Jose, Calif. company Agnilux includes Dan Dobberpuhl, the former founder and CEO of P.A. Semi, purchased by Apple for $278 million two years ago.

First reported by Thomson Reuters’ PEHub, the deal with Google is raising eyebrows about the lengths being taken to keep the company below public radar.


Dobberpuhl, along with former Apple workers Mark Hayter, Olaf Johansson and Todd Broch left P.A. Semi shortly after Apple acquired the fabless semiconductor company. Apple’s upcoming iPhone, as well as the iPad reportedly use the A4 chip designed by Apple at P.A. Semi.

Although Google confirmed the purchase of Agnilux, it didn’t offer any details. The Agnilux website, which included just a street address and the meaning of the company name (Agni is Sanskrit for “fire” and Lux is Latin for “water”), gave even fewer details before being yanked sometime this week, reports say.

Speculation is that Agnilux is involved in developing new chip technology enabling Google to better compete with Apple’s mobile products. A New York Times investigation in February revealed the former Apple employees were concerned their former employer might lay claim to their product, which could be a server. Google is a large consumer of servers, all currently built in-house. Cisco reportedly has a partnership deal with the mysterious company.

[via AppleInsider, 9to5 Mac]

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