Does Google Have a “Secret” Weapon in Apple Battle with Agnilux?

Google continues down its path of acquisitions, as it has now scooped up the mysterious tech startup Agnilux. It's mysterious because there is very little information about it on the web, and even ...
Does Google Have a “Secret” Weapon in Apple Battle with Agnilux?
Written by Chris Crum
  • Google continues down its path of acquisitions, as it has now scooped up the mysterious tech startup Agnilux. It’s mysterious because there is very little information about it on the web, and even publications like the New York Times have had a hard time uncovering much information about it.

    It has been revealed, however, that Agnilux was founded by former employees of P.A. Semi, the chip manufacturer that Apple acquired a couple years ago, which produced chips for the iPhone and iPad. Some of P.A. Semi stayed with Apple, and others went off on their own and formed Agnilux, as the story goes.

    Agnilux Gets acquired by Google This Google/Apple competition story just gets more and more interesting. Nobody knows exactly what Google’s plan is with Agnilux, or even what Agnilux does exactly, although the New York Times recently got word from a former P.A. Semi employee that Agnilux was working on "some kind of server, and that the company has a partnership with Cisco."

    Agnilux has people who have worked at P.A. Semi, Apple, Cisco, IBM, TiVo, Real Networks, Boeing, and various other tech companies, according to varioud LinkedIn profiles listed under the company. 

    Google has been giving out generic statements like: "We’re pleased to welcome the Agnilux team to Google, but we don’t have any additional information to share right now." At least that confirms the news is real. "

    The Google/Apple story is is one of a friendship gone sour. MG Siegler has a pretty good recap of it up until now. Essentially, it boils down to competition in smartphones, mobile advertising, and soon to be tablets/netbooks. "Who knows, maybe this move was a response to Apple snatching away RJ Pittman, Google’s director of product management," he says.

    Either way, the gloves are pretty much off at this point, and it’s going to be very interesting to see where Google is going with this acquisition, and what Apple’s next move will be.

    Apple posted record non-holiday-quarter earnings this week.

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