Samsung plans to by AMD?

There is already a thread about this. First off that's something some analyst says could happen. It's unconfirmed speculation at best. That isn't a story about something that's actually happening.
 
So with rumours abound that Intel may acquire NVIDIA, we will have teams Purple and Yellow in the future instead Red and Green. But if Samsung bows out, it would essentially mean a monopoly in the PC market for Intel.
 
Armenius said:
So with rumours abound that Intel may acquire NVIDIA, we will have teams Purple and Yellow in the future instead Red and Green. But if Samsung bows out, it would essentially mean a monopoly in the PC market for Intel.
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Intel should buy Nvidia, their GPUs are terrible and the high-end desktop CPUs all they do is take up space.

I don't see Samsung buying AMD, but hey, you know, stuff.
 
Compared to the shape they were in a year or two ago, AMD has done a nice job of cleaning up the house. I'm a little surprised there hasn't been more serious expectation for there to be a suitor looking to gobble AMD up. All of these rumors of late haven't even been enough to pop the stock.

And frankly, the x86 license matters less than it ever has so I think the door is opening even wider for somebody to step in, take over and flood AMD with R&D money.
 
humm samsung has 10nm finFET tech ready in arm variety amd has been looking to get into arm... if samsung does grab amd and the 10nm finFET tech gets implemented in say ZEN along with amds new memory with insane bandwidth... this could be some sort of monster in the making samsung did seem to have interest in doing laptops

enxyos powered chromebook... but i would rather see a mutual merger or partnership

samsung-amd type deal effectively the same company but for all intents and purpose they are separate...
 
I hope they buy AMD. It sure would make things very interesting..
 
Better placed among rivals such as Intel, NVIDIA

Samsung and Intel have crossed paths in the past, with Intel trying to expand into the mobile market by subsidizing Atom sales, thus forcing competitors to bring down their prices to stay competitive. Samsung’s acquisition of AMD’s CPU and GPU IP could earn Samsung a very strong position in the market and also in the courts.
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Yep buy AMD and get lawyers all out of their hair.

The article is a sick joke. Samsung is not going to pour billions of dollars to compete with Intel in the x86 market.

If Samsung needs they can do the same as Mediatek and buy the licence for the cores. This would make more sense as a business decision.
And Samsung could easily poach talent at AMD which would be cheaper as well.

So why buy AMD the company has debts and the only way AMD has some value is when they have some sort of backup deal for x86 license.
 
Pieter3dnow said:
Yep buy AMD and get lawyers all out of their hair.

The article is a sick joke. Samsung is not going to pour billions of dollars to compete with Intel in the x86 market.

If Samsung needs they can do the same as Mediatek and buy the licence for the cores. This would make more sense as a business decision.
And Samsung could easily poach talent at AMD which would be cheaper as well.

So why buy AMD the company has debts and the only way AMD has some value is when they have some sort of backup deal for x86 license.
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oh amd has a decent portfolio... x86-64 all of ati and various other patents and tech and honestly x86 is mostly emulated these days it would not surprise me if intel let them have the same deal amd has now if only to claim they are not monopolizing the field my bigger issue is amd like intel is a USA company i would hate to see it getting sold out of the country.


that said samsung has a line of laptops or at least they did they make lcd and all of the chips in the idevices... they have all the bits to produce a line of laptops fully in house...
 
I hope its not happening. Leave the AMD alone you poor Samsung!! Go back to your exynos.
 
AMD is in a tough spot.

They are a good company with a good track record and lots of good IP.

They don't have enough funding to excel in Consumer CPU's, Enterprise CPU's, ARM CPU's and GPU's all at once, which is currently hurting them big time, despite having won all of this generations console contracts (they don't make very much money on these large volume deals, and probably won them by being the lowest bidder)

If they don't get bought out by anyone, they will continue going out little by little, and slowly with a whimper. They simply don't have the financial backing to do everything they want. (And in large part we can thank Intel's illegal business practices for this. The compiler/OEM legal settlement they paid AMD was a drop in the bucket compared to the damage they did to them)

On the other hand, if they DO get bought out by anyone, their x86 license vanishes overnight, and needs to be re-negotiated which may or may not succeed.

They are kind of damned if they do, damned if they don't.

A few different scenarios are likely:

1.) AMD gets bought out by someone like Samsung. x86 renegotiation is successful. Samsung infuses captial, and AMD becomes competetive again.

2.) AMD gets bought out by someone like Samsung. x86 renegotiation is not successful. AMD drops out of x86 CPU market and focuses on GPU's and ARM SOC's

3.) AMD continues its slow motion demise as inability to compete compounds generation after generation until it is finally sold for parts several years from now


1 is probably very optimistic.

3 is probably rather pessimistic.

2 seems the most likely to me.



Now, to the current rumor. Samsung and AMD have many areas in which they are a good match for each other. AMD has great IP, chip design experience, ARM experience, graphics experience.

Samsung has capital, and small node chip fabs.
 
Best thing that could happen is for Samsung to buy AMD but let it run as a separate entity to maintain Intel licensing. It'll benefit AMD having a lot of 14nm capacity now and better prepare Samsung when phones are 10nm x64 APU equipped running the full Windows 10 x64 that you can dock to replace the traditional laptop/PC.
 
mi7chy said:
Best thing that could happen is for Samsung to buy AMD but let it run as a separate entity to maintain Intel licensing. It'll benefit AMD having a lot of 14nm capacity now and better prepare Samsung when phones are 10nm x64 APU equipped running the full Windows 10 x64 that you can dock to replace the traditional laptop/PC.
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If I recall correctly from a previous thread on this topic, the contract is very specific about license expiring with any change of control of the company.

Anyone buys more than 50% and that license is gone, regardless of wheter it operates independently or not.
 
Centauri said:
Compared to the shape they were in a year or two ago, AMD has done a nice job of cleaning up the house. I'm a little surprised there hasn't been more serious expectation for there to be a suitor looking to gobble AMD up. All of these rumors of late haven't even been enough to pop the stock.

And frankly, the x86 license matters less than it ever has so I think the door is opening even wider for somebody to step in, take over and flood AMD with R&D money.
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As a shareholder (yes call me crazy but at $2.30/share why not gamble a little) I can tell you they are NOT in better shape than 2 years ago. Marketshare for server cpu, mobile cpu, desktop cpu and consumer gpu have all gone down. They are laden with debt, don't have enough cash to increase R&D spending and are in a slow but accelerating death spiral. They are way behind Intel in manufacturing as well which just adds to the problem. It will take the likes of a company such as Samsung, Apple or another tech behemoth with enough cash they can inject into AMD to make them competitive again. If not then then it will probably be broken up and sold for parts (or scrap). I would love to see them compete with Intel again in even one corner of the market but, barring an absolute miracle, this is not going to happen.
 
bloodypulp said:
i was hoping that Qualcomm buys AMD, but buyout rumors always pop-up every few months.
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Why? AMD is a terrible fit for Qualcomm. Samsung makes much more sense. They have the fabs, they build PCs and tablets. AMD has the IP.

This has been rumored before, but nothing came to fruition. I will be surprised if they do get bought.
 
you guys keep using the x86 argument as a reason amd cant or wont be bought but they own x86-64 or intel 64 as intel likes to call it... so if amd cant make x86 big deal they switch to pure 64 bit with some patent friendly 32 bit emulation but then if the cross license expires and intel cant make any of the new shit that uses 64-bit now who is up shit creek... it will get renegotiated and amd will get sold...
 
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Lunas said:
you guys keep using the x86 argument as a reason amd cant or wont be bought but they own x86-64 or intel 64 as intel likes to call it... so if amd cant make x86 big deal they switch to pure 64 bit with some patent friendly 32 bit emulation but then if the cross license expires and intel cant make any of the new shit that uses 64-bit now who is up shit creek... it will get renegotiated and amd will get sold...
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I don't think it works that way. AMD64 is an extension of IA32, I don't think it works on its own.
 
I dont know i just know intel had to license the amd 64 for all current gen chips except itanium that one uses IA64

IA 32 only amd and VIA hold licenses to use it...
 
Zarathustra[H];1041512151 said:
I don't think it works that way. AMD64 is an extension of IA32, I don't think it works on its own.
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It does not work on its own.
 
This has to be the 3rd dozen amd buy out rumor made by a completely uninformed so called "journalist"

EDIT: replace journalist with "click baiter"

EDIT: it would leave Intel in a monopoly position, I doubt the SEC would allow it. That's the only reason they allowed AMD to buy ATI in the first place.
 
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Right, we have enough monopolies. Samsung can make their own CPUs, and I doubt the SEC has jurisdiction in Korea :)
 
deadlift1 said:
As a shareholder (yes call me crazy but at $2.30/share why not gamble a little) I can tell you they are NOT in better shape than 2 years ago. Marketshare for server cpu, mobile cpu, desktop cpu and consumer gpu have all gone down. They are laden with debt, don't have enough cash to increase R&D spending and are in a slow but accelerating death spiral. They are way behind Intel in manufacturing as well which just adds to the problem. It will take the likes of a company such as Samsung, Apple or another tech behemoth with enough cash they can inject into AMD to make them competitive again. If not then then it will probably be broken up and sold for parts (or scrap). I would love to see them compete with Intel again in even one corner of the market but, barring an absolute miracle, this is not going to happen.
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I probably own more AMD stock than you do and have almost certainly owned it for longer; AMD is in much better shape than they were two years ago. They are no longer gushing cash at a rate that has people questioning their immediate viability. The console revenue, while low margin, has proven to be enough to keep AMD running. The downsizing has been completed and the costs have been saved.

Now we wait.
 
If AMD doesn't get bought out in the next few years, I suspect Intel will make a hasty and expensive bid for full ownership of AMD64 before AMD completely dies.

That buyout will likely keep AMD afloat for a short period longer, but having played their trump card AMD will still reach their end game again if they do not do something drastic.
 
CaptNumbNutz said:
If AMD doesn't get bought out in the next few years, I suspect Intel will make a hasty and expensive bid for full ownership of AMD64 before AMD completely dies.

That buyout will likely keep AMD afloat for a short period longer, but having played their trump card AMD will still reach their end game again if they do not do something drastic.
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Actually I expect AMD to start investing pretty heavily in ARM. I wouldn't be too shocked if they buyout some player in the mobile SOC space.
 
Lunas said:
you guys keep using the x86 argument as a reason amd cant or wont be bought but they own x86-64 or intel 64 as intel likes to call it... so if amd cant make x86 big deal they switch to pure 64 bit with some patent friendly 32 bit emulation but then if the cross license expires and intel cant make any of the new shit that uses 64-bit now who is up shit creek... it will get renegotiated and amd will get sold...
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The terms of the new cross licensing agreement have not been made public however in the old one there was specifics covering terminations (http://corporate.findlaw.com/contra...agreement-advanced-micro-devices-inc-and.html) -

6.2. Termination for Cause.
---------------------
(a) A party may terminate the other party's rights and licenses hereunder upon notice if the other party hereto commits a material breach of this Agreement and does not correct such breach within sixty (60) days after receiving written notice complaining thereof. In the event of such termination, the rights and licenses granted to the defaulting party shall terminate, but the rights and licenses granted to the party not in default shall survive such termination of this Agreement subject to its continued compliance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
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Basically going by the language it seems the party that violates the terms of the agreement loses the licenses it recieves but the other party keeps the licenses it recieves.

So in a hypothetical situation whoever buys AMDs would lose all the licenses it recieves from Intel but Intel would still keep what it recieves from AMD (eg. x86-64).

I would think the current agreement would also have the foresight to cover such contignecies.
 
Based on what I know from the latest agreement, the following conditions are known true:

1: Intel retains the right to the AMD64 ISA is AMD goes bankrupt/is purchased.
2: AMD looses the right to the X86 license (and by extension, AMD64, which is built on top of X86) if it gets purchased.

9.7 No Assignment of Agreement . Except in the event of a Change of Control as set forth in Section 6.3, this Agreement is personal to the Parties, and neither the Agreement nor any right or obligation under this Agreement is assignable, whether in conjunction with a change in ownership, merger, acquisition or the sale or transfer of all, substantially all or any part of a Party’s business or assets or otherwise, either voluntarily, by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other Party, which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of such other Party. Any such purported assignment or transfer shall be deemed a breach of this Agreement and shall be null and void. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their permitted successors and assigns.
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“ Change of Control ” shall mean:

(1) any Person or group of Persons (as the term “group” is interpreted pursuant to Rule 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) (the “Acquiring Person”) acquires (i) beneficial ownership of capital stock of AMD entitling the holder(s) thereof to more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the then outstanding capital stock of AMD with respect to the election of directors of AMD, or (ii) an interest sufficient to receive more than fifty percent (50%) of the profits or losses of AMD; or

(2) AMD enters into a merger, consolidation, reorganization or similar transaction (or series of related transactions) with any Person or group of Persons in which less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the outstanding capital stock of AMD (if it is the surviving entity) or of the Acquiring Person (if it is the surviving entity) with respect to the election of directors following such transaction is held directly or indirectly by Persons who were shareholders of AMD immediately prior to such transaction (or series of transactions); or

(3) AMD sells to any Person(s) in one or more related transactions properties or assets representing all or substantially all of the properties and assets of AMD.
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The ONLY reason Samsung would consider purchasing AMD is for the treasure trove of GPU patents from the old ATI unit. If Samsung purchases AMD, say goodbye to them in the X86 CPU market.
 
I think they'll get the X86 license if they purchase. They'll find a way to structure the deal around that. Or they'll take it to court and make the acquisition contingent on the outcome - and they'll probably win. As soon as Intel threatened to expire AMD's license in 2009 the FTC went 3 feet up Intel's ass with a bunch of "recommendations" on how the X86 licensing agreement should be liberalized and began building a case against them. If there's any chance of that happening again, which there likely is given the current FTC, it's probably in Intel's best interests to keep the FTC happy. Even talk of liberalizing x86 would send Intel share prices plummeting.

The FTC's weird rageboner for Intel is oddly a good thing for consumers. They don't have a ton of immediate power, but they can put a lot of longer term pressure on them.
 
I don't think the Saudis are going to let that happen.
 
InternationalHat said:
I think they'll get the X86 license if they purchase. They'll find a way to structure the deal around that. Or they'll take it to court and make the acquisition contingent on the outcome - and they'll probably win. As soon as Intel threatened to expire AMD's license in 2009 the FTC went 3 feet up Intel's ass with a bunch of "recommendations" on how the X86 licensing agreement should be liberalized and began building a case against them. If there's any chance of that happening again, which there likely is given the current FTC, it's probably in Intel's best interests to keep the FTC happy. Even talk of liberalizing x86 would send Intel share prices plummeting.

The FTC's weird rageboner for Intel... is oddly a good thing for consumers. They don't have a ton of immediate power, but they can put a lot of longer term pressure on them.
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I hope you are right, for the sake of competition and the consumer x86 and discrete GPU markets. It seems very optimistic to me, considering Samsung really has no interest in x86.

They are interested in AMD's GPU IP (most of which was acquired in the ATI acquisition) and the chip design and ARM experience both of which for mobile applications in order to help further their exynos designs.

X86 and discrete desktop GPU's aren't things they really care about at all. They would come a long as a bonus, and they might stay in the market as to not leave money on the table, but it sure as hell is not going to be their priority, especially if it comes to huge legal battles with Intel.

I mean, they do have a strong presence in the desktop SSD market, and adding CPU's and GPU's doesn't seem like a stretch, but if push cones to shove, those would likely be the first to go, as they don't fit Samsung's core business model.

Also, on the "Intel rageboner" bit.

Its not strange at all. Intel has done some incredibly shady stuff over the years, most of which they have barely had their wrists slapped for. The AMD settlement was a drop in the bucket, and if FTC has Intel.on their radar, good, because they haven't done even close to enough to date.

Intel so gle handledly destroyed AMD's future in the CPU market through their illegal OEM blocking deals and illegal use of their market leadership in their compiler to hurt their competition in other markets. A $1.25B settlement doesn't come even close to undoing the damage they illegally did. That settlement should have been orders of magnitude higher.
 
I really like Samsung products and feel that are are top notch in electronics. If this story holds true then I believe it will put AMD over the top and Intel as well as nVidia will have a true competitor. This translates to a huge win for us, the consumer.
 
Not believing this for a second, but I could see cooperation between the two, especially now that AMD has an ARM license. Sometimes it I more cost effective to have someone else do it rather than acquire them so you can.
 
Centauri said:
I probably own more AMD stock than you do and have almost certainly owned it for longer; AMD is in much better shape than they were two years ago. They are no longer gushing cash at a rate that has people questioning their immediate viability. The console revenue, while low margin, has proven to be enough to keep AMD running. The downsizing has been completed and the costs have been saved.

Now we wait.
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Didn't realize the fact that you owned more or have held it for a longer period had any merit in the conversation. I sure hope you haven't owned it for that long or else you have suffered some major losses. Then again maybe that came in handy at tax time.

If AMD is counting on console revenue to keep them running they are in big trouble. My biggest concern is their drop in marketshare YOY in all segments - server cpu, desktop cpu, gpu, mobile, etc. They simply cannot compete any longer and are essentially dead in the water. There's no additional money for R&D and Intel already outspends them in that dept. 10:1. I think they need to focus on gpu and mobile only and sell of the other divisions or just shutter them completely.
 
deadlift1 said:
If AMD is counting on console revenue to keep them running they are in big trouble. My biggest concern is their drop in marketshare YOY in all segments - server cpu, desktop cpu, gpu, mobile, etc. They simply cannot compete any longer and are essentially dead in the water. There's no additional money for R&D and Intel already outspends them in that dept. 10:1. I think they need to focus on gpu and mobile only and sell of the other divisions or just shutter them completely.
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You mean selling hardware for a period of 5 years or longer is not a steady source of income ?

The mobile market on x86 side is completely screwed for AMD since Intel subsidizes (tablets) their chips heavily (called something else but comes down to the same thing)
AMD already sold their mobile gpu a good while back and guess what that is working well.

AMD already done some announcements to where they are going
 
Pieter3dnow said:
You mean selling hardware for a period of 5 years or longer is not a steady source of income ?
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No. It is low margin crap. I will be interested to see if they can execute on a realistic long term strategy to bring them back to profitability and allow them to be competitive. We shall see.
 
I love AMD, have many of their products, and I use almost none of them. It kind of sucks, being a huge AMD fanboy selling completely out to Intel. AMD has been designing shit for years, I don't really expect that their new Jim Keller flagship is going to save the universe and make them a threat to Intel. I suspect that will, possibly, get them a smidge more market share (assuming Intel solders everything on in teh desktop market around or just after the Skylake release).

I could see Samsung licensing them to design new high end ARM chips with mind blowing GPUs. AMD is fabless, why not just do what they are doing for Sony and Microsoft and become the engineering genius behind all of Samsung's stuff too.

If they get bought out, shit happens. Not much can be done about that... As an old school AMD fanboy, I do hope they stay in business. I do hope we seem some more insanely multi core processors from them again (not likely due to their heading the direction of hyper-threading) and some really niche enthusiast systems that they are kinda known for.
 
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