SK Hynix recently indicated that they may get together with strategic partners and try to purchase ARM. "We are reviewing possibly forming a consortium, together with strategic partners, to jointly acquire [arm=]," said Park Jung-ho, vice chairman and CEO of SK hynix, reports Yonhap news agency. " I don't believe Arm is a company that could be bought by one company."
"I want to buy Arm, if not entirely," said the chief executive of SK Hynix. "It doesn't have to be buying a majority of its shares to be able to control the company."
It appears SK Hynix is looking to leverage ARM to revive its foundry business to make logic chips. Earlier this week, South Korean antitrust regulators approved their acquisition of local chipmaker Key Foundry. Tom's Hardware indicates "there is a plan to establish a presence in Silicon Valley to build ties with fabless chip designers. With Arm under its control, it will be much easier to SK Hynix to do so".
Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/sk-hynix-mulling-to-buy-arm
Now correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the industry's concern over Arm's lack of neutrality & independence the reason why Nvidia's deal fell through?! I don't see how SK Hynix (and its "strategic partners") thinks it will be able to successfully acquire Arm especially when their reason to do so is to help kickstart their foundry business. I also don't see why SK Hynix believes it will have more success than Samsung Foundry in manufacturing cutting-edge nodes. ASML's chief previously indicated that the market wasn't likely to be able to sustain three foundries on the cutting edge...if SK Hynix jumps into the game, there's going to be a lot of financial pain inflicted on someone.[/arm]
"I want to buy Arm, if not entirely," said the chief executive of SK Hynix. "It doesn't have to be buying a majority of its shares to be able to control the company."
It appears SK Hynix is looking to leverage ARM to revive its foundry business to make logic chips. Earlier this week, South Korean antitrust regulators approved their acquisition of local chipmaker Key Foundry. Tom's Hardware indicates "there is a plan to establish a presence in Silicon Valley to build ties with fabless chip designers. With Arm under its control, it will be much easier to SK Hynix to do so".
Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/sk-hynix-mulling-to-buy-arm
Now correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the industry's concern over Arm's lack of neutrality & independence the reason why Nvidia's deal fell through?! I don't see how SK Hynix (and its "strategic partners") thinks it will be able to successfully acquire Arm especially when their reason to do so is to help kickstart their foundry business. I also don't see why SK Hynix believes it will have more success than Samsung Foundry in manufacturing cutting-edge nodes. ASML's chief previously indicated that the market wasn't likely to be able to sustain three foundries on the cutting edge...if SK Hynix jumps into the game, there's going to be a lot of financial pain inflicted on someone.[/arm]