AMD looks to acquire ATI for $5.4 Billion
Posted by Helper Monkey
After months of rumors, AMD and ATI announced today a plan to join forces in a transaction that will combine AMD’s technology leadership in microprocessors with ATI’s strengths in graphics, chipsets and consumer electronics. The result (they claim) is a new competitor, better equipped to drive growth, innovation and choice for its customers in commercial and mobile computing segments and in rapidly-growing consumer electronics segments. The transaction, valued at US $5.4 billion, is expected to close in Q4 2006 subject to approval by ATI shareholders, court approval, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
“ATI shares our passion and complements our strengths: technology leadership and customer centric innovation,� said AMD Chairman and CEO Hector Ruiz. “Bringing these two great companies together will allow us to transcend what we have accomplished as individual businesses and reinvent our industry as the technology leader and partner of choice. We believe AMD and ATI will drive growth and innovation for the entire industry, enabling our partners to create differentiated solutions and empowering our customers to choose what is best for them.�
What this merger means for Mac users is not yet clear. ATI has long supplied the graphics cards in a number of different Macs over the years, and in recent years has been favored over NVIDIA’s offerings. A recent rumored pairing between NVIDIA and Apple to supply graphics chips for an upcoming iPod revision may hint at renewed ties between the companies. For it’s part, ATI makes no mention of Apple in the press release, and instead focuses on al the “cutting edge� graphics in the upcoming Windows Vista release.
“Windows Vista will deliver incredible advances in the user experience as a result of advancements in graphics integration and performance,� said Jim Allchin, Co-President of Microsoft’s Platforms & Services Division. “We’re excited by the potential of what AMD and ATI can deliver together to enhance the Windows Vista experience for our customers even further.�
AMD + ATI = PERFECT COMPUTING – This would be a revolutionary combination. Now only if Apple had went with AMD. AMD + Apple + ATI = Perfect computers.