The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Disgraced ex-minister's daughter says she feels proud, qualified as a doctor

  • 3

    Coupang reveals Asia's largest fulfillment center in Daegu

  • 5

    Ex-gov't employee summarily indicted for alleged attempt to sell Jungkook's lost hat

  • 7

    Tiger endures 3 years of solitary confinement in closed zoo

  • 9

    Netflix survival show 'Physical 100' attracts viewers with sweat, muscle and human story

  • 11

    Rescuers race against time as Turkey-Syria quake death toll passes 5,000

  • 13

    Ex-justice minister, daughter blamed for unrepentant attitude over academic fraud

  • 15

    Apple confirms launch of Apple Pay in Korea

  • 17

    Seoul narrows in on new slogan

  • 19

    Turkey-Syria quake toll tops 11,000 as rescuers battle cold

  • 2

    Singer Lee Seung-gi to marry actor Lee Da-in in April

  • 4

    SM in internal feud over founder's exit from producing

  • 6

    'Celebrity forests' emerge as new K-pop trend in Seoul

  • 8

    Seoul city zeroes in on foreign residents' unpaid taxes

  • 10

    Korean Peninsula may face fallout from balloon saga

  • 12

    Peak Time: Survival show for lesser-known K-pop boy bands to hit air

  • 14

    SM founder Lee Soo-man returns home, in hospital to treat arm fracture

  • 16

    INTERVIEW'Korea, US can create synergy in space industry': NASA ambassador

  • 18

    PHOTOSTurkey-Syria earthquake

  • 20

    Chainsaw Fest set to rip apart Club SHARP

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Thu, February 9, 2023 | 12:24
Tech
EXCLUSIVESamsung mulls buying stakes in Arm
Posted : 2020-08-03 17:01
Updated : 2020-08-03 18:45
Baek Byung-yeul
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left, and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, second from right, arrive at the Korea Furniture Museum in Seoul, in this July 4, 2019, file photo, to attend a dinner with the leaders of Korea's conglomerates. / Korea Times file
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left, and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, second from right, arrive at the Korea Furniture Museum in Seoul, in this July 4, 2019, file photo, to attend a dinner with the leaders of Korea's conglomerates. / Korea Times file

By Baek Byung-yeul

Samsung Electronics is set to join the acquisition race for the British semiconductor company Arm, which has been put up for sale by its current owner SoftBank, but the Korean tech giant will try to participate in the bid in the form of equity investment, obtaining a small stake in the chip-designing firm, according to a top official in the semiconductor industry here, Monday.

"Samsung Electronics is considering acquiring a small stake in Arm, which will be between 3 percent and 5 percent," said the top industry official, who requested to remain anonymous. "Arm will be acquired by a consortium led by multiple parties from the semiconductor industry given the complex nature of Arm's shareholding structure."

The official also mentioned that Samsung's move in the acquisition race will be similar to that of acquiring equities in Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML.

In 2012, Samsung acquired a 3-percent stake in ASML Holdings for 766.4 billion won ($642 million). The Korean tech giant decided to become a stakeholder in the Dutch company as it is the world's largest manufacturer of lithography systems, which are used to print circuit patterns on silicon wafers. ASML is also the only supplier for the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology-based lithography equipment, a core product used to produce smaller and more power-efficient chips.

"As seen in Samsung's previous equity purchasing in ASML, Samsung will likely try to acquire equities in Arm. As Samsung could solidify its partnership with ASML after the equity acquisition, Samsung expects it can reduce its licensing fee expenditure by securing equity in Arm," the official added.

Established in 1990, the U.K.-based company Arm is a global leader in mobile chip architecture design that generates profit by licensing its intellectual property to tech giants including Samsung Electronics, Apple and Qualcomm.

Mobile application processor chips are used in most smartphones; Apple's A-series, Samsung's Exynos and Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips are based on Arm's architecture. Every chipmaker using the architecture pays a licensing fee upfront, which depends on the complexity of the design, and the companies additionally pay a royalty for each chip sold.

Its mother company SoftBank is considering either selling Arm or going through with an initial public offering for the chip-designing unit because the Japanese tech giant is strapped for cash after its $100 billion Vision Fund posted losses for two consecutive quarters.

It was rumored that Samsung or other tech giants such as Apple or Nvidia would attempt to acquire Arm as such a move could help them take the upper hand in the semiconductor market.

But Jim Handy, a U.S.-based seasoned semiconductor analyst working for Objective Analysis, said Arm will be merged by a consortium comprised of fabless companies or intelligent system design companies such as Rambus, Cadence and Synopsys. The rationale for that is because these firms are similar to Arm, generating revenue through IP licensing.

Recently, some suggested that Nvidia, a U.S.-based graphics chip maker, would become the sole suitor for Arm, but the top official said it is unlikely because it will be difficult for the graphics chip maker to win approval from the various fair trade commissions in semiconductor powerhouse regions: the U.S., the EU, and East Asia ― Japan, China and Korea.

The official also expressed doubt whether Nvidia has sufficient financial firepower to become an independent acquirer of Arm given SoftBank reportedly wants to sell Arm based on a valuation of over $41 billion.

"Nvidia won't become the sole suitor for Arm as the company needs to win approvals from fair trade authorities in countries that are doing business with the British company. I think it will be difficult for Nvidia to gain approval from any of those authorities," he said.


Emailbaekby@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Korean Peninsula may face fallout from balloon saga Korean Peninsula may face fallout from balloon saga
2[PHOTOS] Turkey-Syria earthquake PHOTOSTurkey-Syria earthquake
3Daughter-centered photos, title of honor reinforce speculation over North Korea succession Daughter-centered photos, title of honor reinforce speculation over North Korea succession
4[INTERVIEW] 'Growth slowdown can accelerate depletion of retirement pension fund' INTERVIEW'Growth slowdown can accelerate depletion of retirement pension fund'
5SM's management dispute to benefit KakaoSM's management dispute to benefit Kakao
6National Assembly votes to impeach interior minister for Itaewon tragedy National Assembly votes to impeach interior minister for Itaewon tragedy
7Philip Morris seeks to surpass KT&G in e-cigarette market Philip Morris seeks to surpass KT&G in e-cigarette market
8SM6 Feel attracts customers with popular options, low price SM6 Feel attracts customers with popular options, low price
9[INTERVIEW] Veteran US photographer gives environment 'visual voice' to chronicle climate change INTERVIEWVeteran US photographer gives environment 'visual voice' to chronicle climate change
10Korean companies move to support victims in earthquake-hit Turkey, Syria Korean companies move to support victims in earthquake-hit Turkey, Syria
Top 5 Entertainment News
1SM in internal feud over founder's exit from producing SM in internal feud over founder's exit from producing
2Peak Time: Survival show for lesser-known K-pop boy bands to hit air Peak Time: Survival show for lesser-known K-pop boy bands to hit air
3K-pop stars and dating K-pop stars and dating
4Kim Ok-vin, Yoo Teo show enemies-to-lovers dynamic in 'Love to Hate You' Kim Ok-vin, Yoo Teo show enemies-to-lovers dynamic in 'Love to Hate You'
5Investigation into Actor Yoo Ah-in's alleged drug use likely to affect release of his films, series Investigation into Actor Yoo Ah-in's alleged drug use likely to affect release of his films, series
DARKROOM
  • [PHOTOS] Turkey-Syria earthquake

    [PHOTOS] Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group