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Qualcomm confirms it is buying NXP for $47 billion

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Qualcomm and NXP Semiconductors have announced a definitive agreement, unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, under which Qualcomm will acquire NXP.

Qualcomm will pay $110 per share in cash, representing a total enterprise value of approximately $47 billion.

NXP is a specialist in high-performance, mixed-signal semiconductor electronics, with innovative products and solutions and leadership positions in automotive, broad-based microcontrollers, secure identification, network processing and RF power.  [Read more…] about Qualcomm confirms it is buying NXP for $47 billion

Qualcomm could become king of the road if it buys NXP

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qualcomm headquarters

Mergers and acquisitions happen quite frequently these days, and there’s a lot of interest surrounding them. 

For example, there are currently strong rumours that US smartphone chip giant Qualcomm is about to buy NXP Semiconductor for $40 billion.

NXP itself last year bought Freescale for $12 billion. The deal gave NXP access to the market for micro-controllers, in which Freescale is one of the leading companies.

And in a separate, similarly large deal, Japanese communications colossus SoftBank recently agreed to buy the British chip designer ARM for $32 billion.  [Read more…] about Qualcomm could become king of the road if it buys NXP

Qualcomm and NXP ‘agree $40 billion deal’

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Chipmakers Qualcomm and NXP Semiconductors have reportedly agreed a $40 billion takeover deal, according to CNBC. 

Wall Street Journal reported a couple of weeks ago that Qualcomm was in negotiations to buy NXP for $30 billion, and TechCrunch.com says the acquisition would be “a huge consolidation move for the silicon industry”.

Neither company has so far commented on the talks, and have not confirmed they are taking place.

But now, CNBC is confident that Qualcomm and NXP “have agreed an all-cash handshake deal that Qualcomm will pay $110 a share for NXP … in a deal that would be close to $40 billion”.

Qualcomm has a market capitalisation of more than $100 billion, and earned over $25 billion in revenue in 2015. The company has 27,000 staff and is headquartered in California, in the US.

NXP is valued at $35 billion and had revenues of $6 billion in 2015. It has 45,000 staff and is headquartered in the Netherlands, Europe.

NXP and eSSys to deliver intelligent transport systems for Korean government project

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NXP to supply RoadLink chipsets for secure vehicle-to-x communications in Korea’s next-generation intelligent transportation system project

NXP Semiconductors and eSSys will be technology partners in Korea’s next-generation Cooperative Intelligent Transportation System (C-ITS) project promoted by the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

NXP will supply eSSys with its RoadLink V2X chipset, a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) communication and security solution which will be test-operated on an 87.8 km route between Sejong City (city of government offices) and Daejon. The year-long pilot operation started this month.

Currently, a variety of smart transport technologies are being installed on national highways, including the primary highway for access to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.  [Read more…] about NXP and eSSys to deliver intelligent transport systems for Korean government project

NXP to provide smart city technologies to Columbus

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nxp smart cities - columbus at night

Columbus to use NXP solutions, including real-time vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication systems and secure public transportation smart cards for a more intelligent urban transportation system

NXP Semiconductors says its technologies for smart cities, including sophisticated vehicle communications solutions, RFID tagging and Smart Card ICs, play a key role in Columbus, Ohio’s winning proposal for the US Department of Transportation’s (DoT) Smart City Challenge.

NXP, through its partnership with the DoT, is working with Columbus to help deploy wireless technology allowing cars to securely exchange data, prevent accidents and improve traffic flow, as well as Smart Card ICs to make secure public transportation access fast and easy for credit- and cash-economy-based passengers alike.  [Read more…] about NXP to provide smart city technologies to Columbus

‘Platoons’ of autonomous trucks set for European roads

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daf trucks, nxp, ricardo, tno
The DAF technology challenge will see fleets of autonomous trucks take to European roads

Dutch government organising DAF technology demonstration to put fleets of autonomous trucks on European roads 

A consortium of DAF Trucks, TNO, NXP and Ricardo is working together under the name EcoTwin to participate in the European Truck Platooning Challenge being organised by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment on April 6.

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The objective of the DAF test is to obtain permission from governments to perform large-scale, pan-European testing of truck combinations that are linked wirelessly – or “platoons”, as the consortium is calling them.  [Read more…] about ‘Platoons’ of autonomous trucks set for European roads

NXP adds Apple HomeKit support to its SDK

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apple homekit

NXP Semiconductors has upgraded its Software Development Kit (SDK) for Kinetis microcontrollers (MCUs) to offer support for home automation applications using Apple HomeKit technology.

Utilising the performance and Bluetooth Smart connectivity of NXP’s Kinetis products, the solution streamlines development for a wide range of HomeKit compatible products.

HomeKit is a framework in iOS that lets accessories connect seamlessly so people can better manage their homes. It offers a set of common protocols which enable accessories to work together easily and securely, and allows consumers to control them simply using Siri.  [Read more…] about NXP adds Apple HomeKit support to its SDK

NXP enters US DoT’s vehicle-to-x Smart City Challenge

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vehicle to x communications

NXP Semiconductors has joined the US Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge as a provider of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) technology.

With this partnership, NXP, together with its partner Cohda Wireless, will provide the contest’s winning community with wireless technology that allows cars to securely exchange data, such as hazard warnings, over distances of more than a mile to prevent accidents and improve traffic flow.

The Smart City Challenge is a nationwide competition set to award the winning, medium-sized US city a prize of $50 million through the DoT and its partners, for that city’s ideas to develop the connected city of the future and address the challenges that growing populations present to transportation infrastructure.  [Read more…] about NXP enters US DoT’s vehicle-to-x Smart City Challenge

Harman and NXP to demonstrate secure vehicle-to-x communication technology

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nxp pic - department-of-transportation-vehicle-to-vehicle-v2v-program

Harman International Industries is planning to demonstrate its Connected Car Compute Platform for advanced, holistic vehicle intelligence with vehicle-to-x capability (V2X) based on RoadLink technology from NXP Semiconductors.

The wireless technology significantly improves road safety by alerting drivers of critical traffic situations well beyond the range of current production sensors, allowing drivers to “see” around corners, and through traffic obstacles such as big trucks ahead.

“Harman leads the industry as an end-to-end system integrator for automakers and technology suppliers to provide drivers intelligent, adaptable and predictive solutions in the car. We are proud to collaborate with NXP for a flexible and secure V2X solution as part of our leading compute platform to dramatically improve not only safety, but comfort and convenience,” said Phil Eyler, president, Harman connected car division. [Read more…] about Harman and NXP to demonstrate secure vehicle-to-x communication technology

NXP signs deal with China’s Xiaomi on intelligent transport payments technology using NFC

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NXP and Xiaomi have agreed a mobile payments technology deal for public transit systems in China, a country with some plans for intelligent transport networks. 

As a key part of the deal, Xiaomi integrated NXP’s Secure Element and Near Field Communication (NFC) solution into its next-generation flagship Mi 5 smartphone, which the companies believe will help accelerate the adoption of mobile payments in China.

The newly launched Mi 5 models will allow customers to use tap-to-pay for travelling, seamlessly enter and exit public transport systems without using a ticket or travel card, and enable simple balance checking all while ensuring payment security, claimed the companies. [Read more…] about NXP signs deal with China’s Xiaomi on intelligent transport payments technology using NFC