Rumor: Microsoft to buy AMD ?

[Thaur]

According to KitGuru (there) Microsoft would be interested in buying AMD. What do you think about it? Would Mubadala be ready to sell its stake? Would it really bring something to MS, while they try to get rid of all loss-making divisions?

 

[Paul McLellan]

I think Microsoft needs Intel as a friendly partner more than it needs to own AMD. Buying AMD would mean war with Intel, surely?

 

[Thaur]

I guess so, but they could still keep going and work together like Apple and Samsung do. But the fact that they could live together in a kind of "coopetition" doesn't mean they should.

And anyway, does Microsoft have the skills and culture to run such business? If AMD was indeed for sale, I would be more likely to see potential buyer in firms that have already established strong positions in the semiconductor industry, such as Qualcomm.

 

[skip_davis]

I think Microsoft needs Intel as a friendly partner more than it needs to own AMD. Buying AMD would mean war with Intel, surely?

Hmmm... I disagree: AMD falling into a competitor's hands would be pretty bad for M$. >$2B is chump change to them, and it would be diabolically disruptive to Sony (mwahaha!). AMD owned by M$ would not even be on Chipzilla's radar screen, as AMD ceased being a threat to Intel long ago. Who knows? They might even spit out the parts they don't want, like they did with Nokia. That might just assuage Intel, but it's probably not required anyway. Intel is not stupid.