Samsung and Intel May Join Takeover Fray
U.S. news outlets reported on June 2 that Samsung Electronics and Intel may attempt to take over ARM together. Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong and Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger had a meeting on May 30 and, according to the outlets, it is highly likely that joint investment in ARM was discussed at the meeting.
ARM-related M&A issues have been ongoing for years. Nvidia announced in September 2020 that it would acquire the U.K.-based company, but the attempted failed after antitrust reviews in multiple countries. Then, SK Hynix, Intel and Qualcomm made the same announcements.
Samsung Electronics is likely to join the competition, too. ARM’s technology is incorporated in Samsung Electronics’ Exynos processor. Samsung Electronics is aiming to rise to the top of the global non-memory chip market by 2030 and ARM acquisition can be an effective tool.
According to insiders, Samsung Electronics will have to compete with SK Hynix, Intel and Qualcomm and yet the possibility is also open that two or more of them will form a consortium not to be blocked by antitrust regulations.