Nvidia's reportedly interested in buying ARM from SoftBank
- Thread starter WYP
- Start date
demonking
New member
It would be a smart move for any chip maker to acquire ARM, Christ if I had billions i'd think about it.
32bit computing is starting to die and cloud computing is really starting to grow and the ARM architecture is growing with it. Only time will tell though, depends how much Intel, AMD and Microsoft cling to their aging architecture and OS as to when this dies. Apple moving away from 32bit computing is a good start, as much as I have against them. The number of servers running ARM CPU's and the increase in cloud gaming adoption is also a good indication of where the industry is going. Though I think the actual network lines nationally are whats holding back cloud computing, we all need FTTP, NOW
32bit computing is starting to die and cloud computing is really starting to grow and the ARM architecture is growing with it. Only time will tell though, depends how much Intel, AMD and Microsoft cling to their aging architecture and OS as to when this dies. Apple moving away from 32bit computing is a good start, as much as I have against them. The number of servers running ARM CPU's and the increase in cloud gaming adoption is also a good indication of where the industry is going. Though I think the actual network lines nationally are whats holding back cloud computing, we all need FTTP, NOW
The idea fills me with dread. NVIDIA isn't new to anti-competitive practices, and having control of ARM would make it easy for it to compete unfairly in the market.
ARM is everywhere. AMD CPUs have an ARM Platform Security Processor. AMD is working with Samsung on integrating RDNA into mobile chips, and NVIDIA could derail that. In fact, it could derail any deals that don't involve NVIDIA GPUs (or ARM Mali). It could even potentially force Apple to use NVIDIA GPUs in ARM Macs.
I hope that if NVIDIA does attempt to buy ARM, that governments will see the potential problems and stop the deal.
ARM is everywhere. AMD CPUs have an ARM Platform Security Processor. AMD is working with Samsung on integrating RDNA into mobile chips, and NVIDIA could derail that. In fact, it could derail any deals that don't involve NVIDIA GPUs (or ARM Mali). It could even potentially force Apple to use NVIDIA GPUs in ARM Macs.
I hope that if NVIDIA does attempt to buy ARM, that governments will see the potential problems and stop the deal.
Kleptobot
Member
While i agree that it could allow anti competitive behavior by Nvidia the scenarios you describe are pretty exaggerated and ignore the the licensing agreements that ARM architecture and instruction sets are sold under.
WYP
News Guru
Any purchaser for ARM would need to promise to offer licenses as freely as before and continue developing new licensable ARM cores as normal.
Regulators across the globe would be watching this, and one company alone cannot be allowed to become the sole distributor of ARM cores as it would destroy several markets.
I don't think that regulators with any sense would allow Nvidia to buy ARM.
Regulators across the globe would be watching this, and one company alone cannot be allowed to become the sole distributor of ARM cores as it would destroy several markets.
I don't think that regulators with any sense would allow Nvidia to buy ARM.
True, the examples were taken to the extreme, but your point about licensing agreements isn't valid. Terms can obviously change. We've just recently heard of ARM trying to increase licensing costs by up to 4 times. One could certainly envision NVIDIA giving much more favourable terms to companies who don't work with competitors IP.
demonking
New member
Well played, I see what you did there
Agreed though, I can't see Nvidia playing fair or competitive, but whoever buys it will be sitting on a potential gold mine
Dicehunter
Resident Newb
If Nvidia do get this then it's bad news for the computer industry as a whole, Nvidia do not play nice with others.
