Apple reportedly acquires Israeli SSD-maker Anobit

In what probably is one of the most expensive acquisitions by Apple since its NeXT takeover 15 years back, Israeli solid-state drive (SSD) maker Anobit has reportedly been acquired by Apple for $500 million.

According to Israeli newspaper Calcalist, the Anobit takeover – which will apparently reinforce Apple’s strategic shift to solid-state flash storage for its products – has been disclosed to the company’s staff by the management this week. The disclosure came close on the heels of the last week visit of Apple's R&D chief at the company's Herzliya headquarters.

Since the Israel-based start-up manufactures storage products that are used for data centers out of consumer-grade NAND flash memory, the acquisition of the company by Apple will facilitate Apple’s setting up of a semiconductor development center in Israel.

With Apple already being a user of Anobit's flash chip technology in its iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air laptops, reports have it that the Anobit technology will be used by Apple fore increasing the flash memory in its devices; with the result that the cost of producing the technology will be notably lower than that of buying it from a third-party provider.

About the reported Appl-Anobit deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Twitter post: "Welcome to Israel, Apple Inc. on your first acquisition here. I'm certain that you'll benefit from the fruit of the Israeli knowledge.”