ARM Is Being Bought Out By Japan's SoftBank

[phoronix]

Phoronix: ARM Is Being Bought Out By Japan's SoftBank

Many news reports this morning are indicating that Japan's SoftBank is working out a deal to buy ARM Holdings and that a deal could be officially announced as soon as this morning...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Japan-Softbank-ARM

[SpyroRyder]

Good to know that Brexit has indeed kept british companies out of foreign hands. /Sarcasm

Politics aside, I hope they keep the company working roughly the same as it is now. It could really damage the industry for mobile chips if they decide to be more restrictive with the designs.

[duby229]

I don't know anything about this particular company, I know Japanese companies don't really embrace open source though, that or they don't get the concept. This unlikely to be good news for open source advocates.

[bug77]

Good to know that Brexit has indeed kept british companies out of foreign hands. /Sarcasm

Politics aside, I hope they keep the company working roughly the same as it is now. It could really damage the industry for mobile chips if they decide to be more restrictive with the designs.

I don't think a bank cares much about designs. They probably just want a source of income that's not high-risk to add to their portfolio.

[RussianNeuroMancer]

Looking at Mali drivers I don't think ARM embrace open source even right now.

[RussianNeuroMancer]

I don't think a bank cares much about designs. They probably just want a source of income that's not high-risk to add to their portfolio.

SoftBank is telecom, not bank.

[duby229]

Looking at Mali drivers I don't think ARM embrace open source even right now.

Yeah, I know. It's a damn shame too. I would like to know what their management position is going to be, are they going to allow the existing infrastructure to continue management or will they restructure? If they restructure I would like to know officially what their stance on open source is.

[raster]

I don't think a bank cares much about designs. They probably just want a source of income that's not high-risk to add to their portfolio.

softbank is not a bank.

[raster]

Yeah, I know. It's a damn shame too. I would like to know what their management position is going to be, are they going to allow the existing infrastructure to continue management or will they restructure? If they restructure I would like to know officially what their stance on open source is.

softbank say they are going to keep things as is but likely invest in expanding staff and thus capabilities i imagine. i think they may hope to provide the funding t take ARM beyond its current areas of strength. maybe into desktop, server, lower end STB's and wireless routers and other IoT things. just think of areas where ARM has no presence or is weak now...

[bug77]

SoftBank is telecom, not bank.

Oh crap. I keep confusing them with Sberbank. My mistake.