Nvidia is in advanced talks to acquire ARM, the chip designer owned by SoftBank Group, according to people familiar with the matter.
The two sides aim to reach an agreement in the coming weeks, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Nvidia is the only suitor in concrete discussions with SoftBank, according to people.
An agreement for ARM could be the largest in the semiconductor industry, which has been consolidated in recent years as companies seek to diversify and scale. ARM technology from Cambridge, England supports the chips in products that include Apple devices and connected devices. SoftBank acquired the business for $ 32 billion in 2016.
No final decisions have been made, and the negotiations could drag on or fall apart, the people said. SoftBank can gauge the interest of other suitors if it can’t reach a deal with Nvidia, the people said. Representatives from Nvidia, SoftBank and ARM declined to comment.
Any deal with Nvidia, which is an ARM customer, is likely to trigger regulatory scrutiny, as well as a wave of opposition from other users of the company’s technology. Other ARM customers may require assurances that a new owner would continue to provide equal access to the ARM instruction set. Such concerns resulted in SoftBank, a neutral company, which bought ARM the last time it was for sale.
Tech Central
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