OpenFabs, OpenHW, OpenAudit - OpenPower Libre SOC Goes to Print

[grarpamp]

This is not an OpenFab, it's not running under
OpenAudit process, it's not printing OpenHW,
thus expect more backdoored CPUs and NICs
and USBs etc from it...


Intel To Buy Chip Fabricator GlobalFoundaries For $30 Billion In
Biggest Deal Yet: WSJ

Thursday was another rough day for the semiconductor space as most of
the biggest US-traded chipmakers traded in the red as the global chip
shortage overshadowed what ended up being a solid earnings report from
TSMC (which also affirmed plans to expand its production capacity in
the US and Japan).

But even bigger news concerning the troubled semis space broke
Thursday evening when WSJ reported that Intel has agreed to the
biggest acquisition in its half-a-century existence.

According to the American business broadsheet of record, Intel has
agreed to buy chip fabricator GlobalFoundaries for $30 billion. Most
importantly, the deal marks the company's biggest move yet into the
foundry segment, a segment currently dominated by Taiwan Semiconductor
Manufacturing - or TSMC - the world's most important chipmaker. Put
another way, the deal is the biggest volley yet in new Intel chief Pat
Gelsinger's "war" on TSMC. As we noted above, news of the deal is
breaking shortly after Taiwan Semi announced its plans to expand
production in the US, which is Intel's "turf" (Intel is also investing
$20 billion into expanding its production facilities in the American
West).

    Wowzers:

    Intel is exploring a deal to buy GlobalFoundries, according to
people familiar with the matter, in a move that would turbocharge the
semiconductor giant’s plans to make more chips for other tech
companies and rate as its largest acquisition ever.
https://t.co/WaGqo3hgEX
    — Mike Bird (@Birdyword) July 15, 2021

As for GlobalFoundaries, those who aren't semiconductor experts can be
forgiven for having never heard of the company. It's presently wholly
owned by Mubadala Investment Co (the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund
made infamous by its association with 1MDB, the Malaysian sovereign
political slush fund that was pillaged by members of the former PM's
inner circle after being seeded with money raised by Goldman Sachs.
The company was looking to go public, but instead of going public, or
merging with a SPAC, Intel is going to buy it for $30MM).

Per WSJ, GlobalFoundaries itself doesn't appear to be in direct talks
with Intel - the deal is being negotiated by Mubadala, which clearly
sees an exit opportunity in the fact that Intel and its biggest
Western rivals are now going toe-to-toe with TSMC.

For all we know, one of these rivals could come through with a higher
bid, stealing the deal from Intel, or sparking a bidding war.

WSJ describes GlobalFoundaries as "GlobalFoundries is one of the
largest specialist chip-production companies. It was created when
Intel rival Advanced Micro Devices in 2008 decided to spin off its
chip-production operations."

Interestingly, Intel rival AMD "remains a big customer for
GlobalFoundries—agreeing to a multiyear, roughly $1.6 billion
chip-component supply deal this year—and that could complicate a
takeover by Intel. GlobalFoundries is relocating its corporate
headquarters to Malta, N.Y. from Santa Clara, Calif."

Tech analyst Patrick Moorhead tweeted following news of the deal that
if it's consumated, it would transform Intel into a "full-stack
provider" with chips for critical technologies like 5G, IoT and much
more. However, he expects the regulatory hurdles to be "immense" (keep
in mind, President Biden is pushing sweeping antitrust policy changes
by executive fiat).

    On Intel acquiring GlobalFoundries: I can see why it would want to
as it would make Intel a full stack provider with specialty tech for
5G, IoT and automotive. But the regulatory hurdles would be immense.
    — Patrick Moorhead at #MSInspire (@PatrickMoorhead) July 15, 2021

One of the contributing factors behind the current global
semiconductor shortage is that many chip designers like Nvidia and
Qualcomm now prefer to outsource the fabrication of their chips to
companies like TSMC and GlobalFoundaries. Just last month,
GlobalFoundaries announced plans to build a new production site in
Singapore for $4 billion.