Maybe for use on non-PC devices. I doubt they’d move back to PowerPC since they spent so much time and money moving over to x86. I remember reading Jobs quoting someone else saying “If you want to make great software, build your own hardware.” Perhaps that gives some insight into why they may have purchased P.A. Semi. Hopefully it means more powerful handhelds.
The iPhone might acquire new chips from P.A…and also perhaps some other devices..I don’t see P.A. taking precedence over Intel..at least not anytime soon.