November 02, 2024 – Reports indicate that in the race to acquire Intel, not only is Qualcomm deeply interested, but Apple and Samsung are also throwing their hats into the ring.
For Qualcomm, which is currently embroiled in a dispute with Arm, the prospect of owning x86 IP is particularly enticing. Meanwhile, Apple, which already operates an Arm-based SoC hardware division responsible for producing customized chips for all its devices including Macs, sees significant potential in acquiring Intel. Samsung, too, is motivated by similar considerations.
Intel still maintains a substantial market share in both the PC and server processor markets. However, the company’s stock price has been on a downward trend for several quarters, resulting in a valuation that has become attainable for any other large technology company seeking to acquire it.
Currently, Intel is facing a difficult situation. As part of its restructuring plan, the company is laying off more than 15% of its employees, representing over 15,000 jobs, and has suspended dividend payments from the fourth quarter onward, aiming to save 10billionby2025.Inthesecondquarter,Intel′srevenuedippedby112.83 billion, resulting in a net loss of $1.61 billion.
In the field of artificial intelligence, Intel has significantly lagged behind AMD and Nvidia, putting the company in a reactive position as it attempts to transition. Whether or not they will ultimately be acquired remains to be seen, as approval is not guaranteed, and the odds currently seem stacked against them.
