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Apple to Make an Offer to Acquire ARM?
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Hahahahahah indeed. And if asked about the matter I'd reply: "We didn't enter the search business, they entered the phone business, and now they can suck it!".
Apple don't need to buy ARM, they already have a full license to do whatever they want with the ARM design. A4 is just their first ARM SoC design which hasn't really been changed much. A5 or A6 will definitely benefit from the experience of the PA Semi's engineers at Apple, imagine the dual/quad core Cortex A9 in the next generation iPad, it'll be fast as hell with 512MB of ram. iPhoneOS 4.0 will scream on that.
Yes Nvidia is available (they're not for sale but their value would be would Apple would likely pay for ARM)
I don't agree at all that Apple's best served by purchasing GPU capabilities or we'd be talking about them buying Imagination.
AMD would be a better buy. They already have the ability to completely rework the ARM design.
With AMD, Apple would gain an in-house CPU team as well as incredible GPUs from ATI. Not to mention the ability to advance independently to Intel, not have to deal with company-to-company brawls resulting in the gimping of products (Intel and nVidia's dispute caused the 13 inch MBP to retain C2D), among other things.
How much is AMD worth?
With AMD, Apple would gain an in-house CPU team as well as incredible GPUs from ATI. Not to mention the ability to advance independently to Intel, not have to deal with company-to-company brawls resulting in the gimping of products (Intel and nVidia's dispute caused the 13 inch MBP to retain C2D), among other things.
How much is AMD worth?
Nah, you gotta think big picture.
Apple buys ARM = Apple gets a cut of every single Google Android set sold!
You buy an iPhone -- Apple profits.
You DON'T buy an iPhone -- Apple profits!
AMD/Intel cross-license. No one can do the ARM instruction set without paying ARM.
Sure they would. It doesn't affect competition in either the smartphone or the microprocessor markets.
No lock-out. That part won't happen.
But Apple owning the chipmaker would give them a HUGE advantage. Apple alone would control who knows what about chip-development plans. Apple alone would have the advance/inside knowledge needed to be first to market with the best combination of SW and HW.
Competitors buy chips from Apple? No problem... just more income for Apple.
Competitors use those chips to make inferior products? No problem... those competing products will have to be offered at a lower price in order to sell and that just acts as a price-support for Apple's superior products.
Even without any lock-out, competitors will see this puts them at a disadvantage. So they will (over time) seek some alternative they can migrate to. I can see a consortium developing to promote another fancy competing chip architecture. But you know its tough to get consortium members to agree; you end up with group think and stuff designed by committees in an attempt to satisfy multiple political objectives. They might eventually succeed, but only after years of sales lost to Apple.
This could help put (keep?) Apple in the forefront for years to come. It could provide a substantial lead that would give them time enough to conceive and carry-out their next big idea. Many other companies might fail to put such an acquisition to serious competitive advantage, but I believe Apple would have a well-thought-out plan that they are perfectly capable of executing well.
There may be legal challenges (primarily to prevent the lock-out thing), but I'd bet that Apple will anticipate any such challenges and be well-prepared to neutralize them. Apple doesn't act in an impulsive, willy-nilly fashion.
Nooo.
Arm chips are awesome. It was a good thing that competitors were able to use them too. Competition is a good thing. Apple holding a monopoly on ARM however is not.
I don't why everyone is rating this story as a positive.
Because if Apple bought ARM they wouldn't use it against the competitors by denying them the tech. (Most probably)
You absolutely hit the jackpot with this....this is exactly why they would do it....not because they want to, but maybe because they have to.
Google are getting pretty busy...
Leaving the status quo and making chip available for others would be the compromise worth doing so buying the company to safeguard first option on future developments of it...
that would be a great move....locking everyone else out, doubtful as it is, would be a bad move....jobs isn't stupid
Apple was an original investor in ARM in 1990!
In November 1990 the advanced research and development team of Acorn Computers Ltd was spun out to form the independent company, Advanced RISC Machines Limited (ARM), to design, license and market fast, inexpensive and efficient RISC processors and other enabling technology. Acorn Group and Apple Computer Inc each maintain a 43% shareholding in ARM. Acorn uses ARM chips in a wide range of products including desktops and set-top boxes. Apple utilises ARM processors in its Newton family of personal digital assistants (PDAs).
In November 1990 the advanced research and development team of Acorn Computers Ltd was spun out to form the independent company, Advanced RISC Machines Limited (ARM), to design, license and market fast, inexpensive and efficient RISC processors and other enabling technology. Acorn Group and Apple Computer Inc each maintain a 43% shareholding in ARM. Acorn uses ARM chips in a wide range of products including desktops and set-top boxes. Apple utilises ARM processors in its Newton family of personal digital assistants (PDAs).
Not sure what it would get Apple. They would likely have to honor current licensing agreements, and then the licensees will jump to another chip provider with their next gen devices. So why spend all that money when the competition will just find another supplier?
Remember that ARM was an effort undertaken by Apple, Acorn Computers and VLSI technology to produce chips for the "surefire" hit Newton.
Apple sold most of it's holdings in ARM in the late 90's which helped keep Apple solvent. I remember every quarter they were unloading vast shares for a sizable influx of income.
Interesting they're possibly looking to reacquire their investment in ARM.
no, but the problem is that these 3rd party's may not wish to pay Apple's licensing fees..we know what its like already
I think Apple acquiring about 30% of ARM would make better sense than buying it outright. This saves them the burden of having to manage another business while giving them enough leverage to influence the development roadmap of future ARM designs.
What's got me wondering is whether Apple owns the patents to it's "new" battery technology that gave us the 7-10 hours battery life in the macbooks and ipads. If they don't won't buying the smaller companies that own the IP for these batteries make more sense than buying all of ARM?
What's got me wondering is whether Apple owns the patents to it's "new" battery technology that gave us the 7-10 hours battery life in the macbooks and ipads. If they don't won't buying the smaller companies that own the IP for these batteries make more sense than buying all of ARM?