Apple, Amazon, Google among bidders for NAND chip businessApril 3, 2017 - 17:58 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Three tech firms —Apple, Amazon, and Google —have reportedly joined the considerable list of bidders of Toshiba's NAND flash memory business, now on the market as Toshiba looks to raise $9 billion to cover losses at its U.S. nuclear unit, Westinghouse, AppleInsider reports. The new entrants' bidding prices are unknown, according to Japanese publication Yomiuri Shimbun, quoted by Reuters. On Friday however, two joint bidders —chipmaker Broadcom, and private equity firm Silver Lake Partners —were reported to have bid about $18 billion. Other bidders are believed to include various financial investors as well as memory makers Micron, SK Hynix, and Western Digital, the latter of which already operates a chip plant with Toshiba in Japan. Both Micron and SK Hynix count Apple as a client. Two other Apple partners, Foxconn and TSMC, have previously been rumored as bidders but could be out of the running because of Japanese national security concerns. Toshiba is in fact thought to be leaning towards U.S. companies, not only because of security but because going in that direction could ease dealings with the U.S. government over Westinghouse. If Apple were to win a bid it would give the company a lock on memory supply for Macs, iPhones, iPads, and other devices, likely removing any production bottlenecks. At the same time however it would have to deal with Toshiba's legacy clients, and either phase them out or enter the global memory business. The latter situation is unlikely, since memory supply isn't an area of Apple expertise and the company would have to sell chips to rival electronics makers. Apple normally keeps hardware as exclusive as possible —even some of its Beats audio gear, nominally platform-agnostic, now charges through Lightning instead of micro-USB. Top stories Yerevan will host the 2024 edition of the World Congress On Information Technology (WCIT). Rustam Badasyan said due to the lack of such regulation, the state budget is deprived of VAT revenues. Krisp’s smart noise suppression tech silences ambient sounds and isolates your voice for calls. Gurgen Khachatryan claimed that the "illegalities have been taking place in 2020." Partner news Most popular in the section | Ameriabank's Trade Finance portfolio enriched with four prestigious awards from EBRD and IFC Ameriabank received the awards from international financial institutions in recognition of its trade finance operations. Armenian Economy Minister to make trip to UAE May 20-22 A delegation led by Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan will travel to the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi on May 20-22 Armenia Security Council chief traveling to Qatar Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan will travel on a working visit to Qatar. Pillars installed in Armenian border village of Kirants In the Armenian village of Kirants, three border markers have been installed, and border guards stand next to them. |