Apple in advanced talks to buy up Imagination Technologies

[HEXUS]

Apple is thought to be interested in the PowerVR GPU technology and patents.

Read more.

[shaithis]

Might be bad news for a number of GPU manufacturers/designers.....especially if they also decide to make their own GPUs for laptops and desktops.

[killer7xx]

Not surprising seeing as in recent years, Apple have been their main customers in the mobile graphics market. I don't think they'll be returning to the desktop discrete GPU market anytime soon, but I think Apple may use them for their Mac lineup in the future.

[DanceswithUnix]

So Apple sales slump, licensing income for Imagination slump, Apple buys Imagination at a knock down price. Must sting.

Wonder what would happen to MIPS out of all this. Would be a crime for it to just fade, would be scary for ARM if Apple adopt it but that seems unlikely.

[mtyson]

UPDATE: Apple just made the following statement: "From time to time, Apple talks with companies about potential acquisitions. We had some discussions with Imagination, but we do not plan to make an offer for the company at this time." Thus the IMG share price crashed back to where it started this morning, at 185p.

[Ttaskmaster]

Whoever types these articles up at Hexus, please use spellcheck...

[scaryjim]

Apple already owns a significant amount of IMG shares, nearly 10 per cent of them.

Anyone check Apple's shareholding in IMG just before and just after their clarification statement...?

[killer7xx]

UPDATE: Apple just made the following statement: "From time to time, Apple talks with companies about potential acquisitions. We had some discussions with Imagination, but we do not plan to make an offer for the company at this time." Thus the IMG share price crashed back to where it started this morning, at 185p.

It would be funny if another mobile SoC manufacturer like Samsung now comes in and sweeps up Imagination tech. Their Exynos has fast become some of the best mobile SoCs out there in terms of CPU but normally lack a bit in GPU performance compared to Qualcomm's Adreno and Imagination's PowerVR.

[crossy]

It would be funny if another mobile SoC manufacturer like Samsung now comes in and sweeps up Imagination tech. Their Exynos has fast become some of the best mobile SoCs out there in terms of CPU but normally lack a bit in GPU performance compared to Qualcomm's Adreno and Imagination's PowerVR.

You sure about that? I've just seen a video review (not one of those back-bedroom ones) where the Qualcomm-powered S7 beats the Exynos-powered one in straightline cpu power. Also seen others that the current Snapdragon 820 is pretty much top of the heap. And no, I don't work for Qualcomm.

(And actually couldn't care that much about whose chip is in my tablets/phones)

[Kato-2]

Apple will buy Img Tech the moment it is in serious trouble and to save themselves Img will agree to any price. Whatever price they gave Apple was obliviously too high.

Img Tech still thinks it has a shot of surviving independent but between Arm and Qualcomm GPU's they are getting squeezed out of the mobile market.