Nvidia's takeover of Arm raises serious concerns, says watchdog | Hacker News Reader

Nvidia's takeover of Arm raises serious concerns, says watchdog

bbc.com

81 pointswalterbell20 comments

In a previous story on the Nvidia acquisition the UK government post-Brexit seems to have decided it needs an industrial intervention policy [1]. Unfortunately after 40 years of a studious lack of interest there's not even the basic understanding at any level. It's painfully obvious whenever they try to express opinions on takeovers and try to link their interest to defence or chip shortages.

There was a flurry of government concern last month [2] when Wingtech/Nexperia announced they were acquiring the UK's "largest semiconductor manufacturer" - actually a small plant in Newport making niche analog and compound semiconductors. It was linked by government spokespeople to games consoles and "computer chips" shortages despite the plant's focus on MOSFET/TIGBT/Silicon Photonics.

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56804007

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jul/05/chinese-own...

Yeah we sold out our entire component manufacturing operations here to Philips in the past who then sold it on to the Chinese. Same with ARM and SoftBank.

We needed to retain this stuff about 40 years ago.

It is worth to study Psion story 20 years ago

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/another-...

The UK has had an industrial intervention policy for ages. Its undeclared but it basically involves supporting finance, real estate, business services and insurance in London above all other stakeholders in the country.

Looks like the BBC doesn't like the .html

This appears to work: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58284204

Anyone else feel like 'concerns raised' is just empty posturing these days? I seem to see more and more concerned-agency and government statements that leads to no actual action...

I think it's always been that way, but until recently journalists didn't realize they could create clickbait titles with it.

The job of a watchdog is to bark. They do it a lot. Sometimes it's a meaningful bark, and sometimes it's not. Actually doing something about it is the job of someone other than the watchdog.

Some watchdogs have teeth and use them in the form of fines.

Yes, see e.g. https://twitter.com/iseuconcerned

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-finds-competition-con...

docket: https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/nvidia-slash-arm-merger-inquiry

What if we were going to hit post-scarcity in computing - but now instead are going to go to artificial scarcity by oligopoly?

"it's good for the economy"

How could we keep funneling all the money to the top if there's no scarcity?

So TSMC & that European company holding the entire world by their semiconductor balls isn't a concern?

What European company? Do you mean ST microelectronics, ARM, or something else?

I'll wager a guess: ASML, the Dutch company that makes the magic machines TSMC(and others) use to make chips.

TIL, thanks! So Europe does have some big players in the chip production facility infrastructure, after all!

Probably ASML:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASML_Holding

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