Israel: Apple in talks to buy key chip maker Anobit.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

The Calcalist financial daily from Israel, said Apple is in advanced negotiations to buy Anobit for $400 million to $500 million.

Among Anobit's key clients are flash memory manufacturers such as Korean based Samsung and Hynix, Calcalist noted. Hynix recently become the main flash memory supplier for Apple's iPhone 4S. Anobit's chip is incorporated into Hynix's flash drives and enhances the device's memory.

Anobit has raised $76 million from Battery Ventures, Pitango Venture Capital and Intel Capital since its founding in 2006.

Anobit has developed a chip that enhances flash drive performance through signal processing. The chip is already incorporated in Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad and the MacBook Air.

Calcalist said Apple is interested in Anobit's technology to increase and enhance the memory volume and performance of its devices. The chip may as much as double the memory volume in the new iPads and MacBooks.

Source: Reuters.