A rumor making the rounds online today claims that Samsung is interested in a potential acquisition of semiconductor company AMD. Samsung is in the business of making processors as well. The acquisition of AMD should boost Samsung’s semiconductor business and allow it to take the fight to companies like Intel and Qualcomm. This move will put AMD’s CPU and GPU intellectual property in Samsung’s hands. AMD already makes processors for computers and other devices. Acquiring AMD would allow Samsung to expand its semiconductor business into avenues that it has not served before.
AMD would stand to benefit for such a deal as well. It will have access to Samsung’s infinitely larger pockets when it needs funds for research and development. If Samsung’s spending habits are any indication the company doesn’t shy away from putting money towards R&D. Thus AMD will be able to push its technology even further. Samsung would obviously benefit from it as it will have dibs on AMD chips and will also be able to sell them to OEMs.
I should point out here that this is pure speculation. No official statement has come in yet from AMD and Samsung. The companies haven’t even denounced the rumor so take it with a grain of salt for now.
