NVIDIA Reportedly Near Deal To Buy Arm For $40+ Billion Dollars

[phoronix]

Phoronix: NVIDIA Reportedly Near Deal To Buy Arm For $40+ Billion Dollars

Breaking this weekend is word that NVIDIA and Arm are reportedly close to a deal in which the graphics giant would be acquiring the UK-based chip designer from SoftBank in a deal worth $40 billion USD or more...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=NVIDIA-Arm-40bn-Imminent

[tildearrow]

Then they turn consumer ARM into a closed-source design with encrypted firmware and zero open drivers.

[pipe13]

Unlike an investment bank, Nvidia has real skin in the game. Sounds like a good match, hope it works out for all customers.

[danmcgrew]

Does this mean the US will have another--besides AMD--world-class processor manufacturer to brag about, now?

[zexelon]

Hmmmmmm I wonder if this will have any impact on the Apple switch to Arm processors! Especially given the rather dramatic rift between apple and nvidia of late!

[shmerl]

Anti-trust works so well these days. /s

[Yorper]

I truely hope this does NOT happen.

if it does.... R.I.P. Arm 😢

[leech]

Hmmmmmm I wonder if this will have any impact on the Apple switch to Arm processors! Especially given the rather dramatic rift between apple and nvidia of late!

I think it'd be hilarious if Apple had to put the nvidia logo stamped somewhere on their board because of it, at the very least. Though I don't see any of Apple's ARM systems having anything but whatever GPU their iOS devices have. They mostly just want fully control over all their hardware, and they're getting real close to that. Kind of makes me think they'll also completely control the price point and app prices, as they go into full walled garden mode and if you NEED a mac, you'll be paying that price. No more hackintoshes.

[zexelon]

Yorper I am curious why you think Nvidia would kill arm? ARM is one of Nvidia's shining OSS examples, specifically in the tegra line. I doubt even Nvidia with all their cash would want to spend $40 billion just to take out a non-competitor.

[pipe13]

Hmmmmmm I wonder if this will have any impact on the Apple switch to Arm processors! Especially given the rather dramatic rift between apple and nvidia of late!

TBD. Apple wouldn't have moved in ARM-based in-house silcon without perpetual license for their needed IP. So that part is neutral. OTOH, Apple and Nvidia share a fairly large overlap in processor needs.; there's substantial room for cooperation e.g. tegra-like chips for iPad.