Needs another cash injection, it seems. http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2013/08/23/amd-sells-singapore/1
Still not looking good for AMD unless there selling up and leasing while they build a new bigger facility, but I doubt that's the case. I do like AMD and hope they give me a reason to stay with them when I need a new mobo and CPU.
I would love the money from the consoles to enable the research to compete with Intel again. Don't want them getting complacent!
AMD need the cash from consoles to Survive, Competeting with Intel is not even on the same menu. They are delaying the Inevitable as it stands which is a buy out or bankruptcy. They have now basically ran out of assets to sell last I checked which means they must be struggling for cash. Everyone has been saying if they dropped below 1bil in cash in hand they would be forced into a sale. Was also one of the highest movers in share sales and buys when this deal was announced something like close to 27million shares in a days trade.
If AMD sold their CPU division, or, if their ARM hybrid chip happens to do what it should, they'd probably do alright. Most of their non-CPU hardware is really pretty good, particularly for the price. It'd be nice is Samsung would buy out AMD. That would probably terrify intel. But, the problem is Samsung doesn't seem to seriously care about MS, and x86 is pretty much only NEEDED by Windows at this point. Windows is taking some huge losses in market share lately, so there's a possibility companies like Samsung are intentionally letting AMD die off because by the time they will, Intel won't be a monopolizing risk anymore. Intel will rule the world of x86 PCs, but they won't rule servers, tablets, phones, netbooks, or robots. I always wonder how different this AMD vs Intel situation would be if Apple chose AMD instead of Intel back in 2006.
Probably little difference, AMDs biggest issue since around 2008 has been its decline of server products. It slipped below 15% last month and it was around the mid 40s when they brought out ATI. The ATI merger also killed most of there cash surplus and has not really made great money. I'd be shocked if the ATI investment is even at the break even stage they paid well over $4billion for it and they are not making 250mil+ a quater from it more like 20-50 mil some quaters loosing money on other quarters. If AMD where offered an option to sell the ATI business and still use the gpus that company made in there apus I think they would bite there hands off.
AMD are doing better than there rivals in the graphics chip market. http://jonpeddie.com/press-releases/details/amd-winner-in-q2-intel-up-nvidia-down/
Actually it would be better for Google to take them and use the ARM hybrids for creating servers, tablets, phones, and PC chipsets to run on chrome or Android. Having AMD and Motorola would make some mean products of the future. Just think with ARM moving to 64-bit and having an AMD APU in a mobile phone. Also with AMD being the next generation of gaming consoles processors, gaming companies would be able to easily transfer console and PC games to Android mobile devices.
IIRC, Intel has rights of refusal on AMD's x86 license should AMD get bought out/declare bankruptcy. Meaning, if Samsung put in a bid, Intel would shoot the transfer of the x86 license right down. Intel will not let that license go to a company that might actually have a shot at getting competitive. Samsung is already something of a competitor and will be more so once Intel gets serious about making Atom a true mobile-friendly processor. I'd be curious to see how the feds would react, too - seems a bit anticompetitive that Intel controls who would be able to get their hands on the only other x86 license in existence. Then again, Intel and the feds are no strangers to buyoffs/kickbacks/quids pro quo...
Actually depending on when this would supposedly happen, intel would be smart NOT to refuse the license, because they'd get in serious trouble with monopolizing. ARM is not yet making enough of a dent, and VIA is just a bug compared to Intel. If in a few years ARM based systems get about 40% of the PC market share, that's when intel could decide to bully other x86 developers. Intel has tried killing off AMD several times and EASILY could have if laws didn't restrict them. AMD is lucky to be in business today, and considering their situation, they make fantastic products. It annoys me when people expect AMD to beat out intel when their net income is lower than intel's profits.
Article updated: AMD has said that the move has been planned for some time, and is more to do with the shift from a production to an engineering facility than a desire for a swift cash injection ahead of the self-imposed profit deadline.
Actually, Intel could not refuse anyone who would buy AMD. First of all it would instantly mean Intel forced split, second it would mean Intel losing licence to most of the x64 features, as Intel licences those from AMD. And you can guess what is worth a Intel CPU without x64 support - nothing.
It's very quid pro quo on the x86 license, intel keeps its x64 license, and AMD gets to keep the x86 license. Acquisition by Samsung is the only thing I could see seriously changing the rules of the game.
