Re:SoftBank set to sell UK’s Arm Holdings to Nvidia for $40B
by klelatti on Sunday September 13, 2020 @03:00PM
(#24463076)
It's not just about Apple. Suppose you're an SoC designer without an architecture license who makes SoCs that successfully compete with say Tegra. Maybe you have a license to use Cortex A77. Lets assume that A78 is the successor to A77.
- Will Nvidia sell you a license to A78 to enable you to continue to compete with Tegra or are you stuck on A77?
- If you can't get a license to A78 where do you turn? RISC-V? Possibly but will you still have a business by the time a competitive RISC-V design emerges from somewhere?
The point is that Nvidia might play fair but the temptation to hinder those who compete directly with its own SoCs - where it will make a lot more money - will be great, and who will stop them if they do?
- Will Nvidia sell you a license to A78 to enable you to continue to compete with Tegra or are you stuck on A77? - If you can't get a license to A78 where do you turn? RISC-V? Possibly but will you still have a business by the time a competitive RISC-V design emerges from somewhere?
The point is that Nvidia might play fair but the temptation to hinder those who compete directly with its own SoCs - where it will make a lot more money - will be great, and who will stop them if they do?