Andre Yoskowitz
5 Jan 2011 14:55
Qualcomm, the largest mobile phone chipmaker in the world, has confirmed today that they are purchasing Atheros, one of the top Wi-Fi networking hardware companies.
The deal will have Qualcomm pay $45-a-share for Atheros, totaling $3.2 billion.
With the acquisition, Qualcomm should cement its footprint in the competitive smartphone and tablet markets, where all new devices require Wi-Fi support.
Qualcomm should now have a leg up on rival Broadcom, says analyst Gary Mobley of Benchmark Company. "What Qualcomm would gain is having the full suite of connectivity offerings."
The deal still requires regulatory approval but should close without issue by Q2 2011.