Renesas will decide whether to sell its mobile chip division during the course of this year, says the company.
Selling a mobile chip division is easier said than done.
First of all no sane person wants to get into a market where Qualcomm is.
Second the top handset makers, Apple, Samsung and LG say they’ll make their own chips.
The record of companies selling mobile chip divisions is surprisingly mixed.
Freescale tried, and failed, and eventually closed down its mobile chip business.
NXP spectacularly sold its mobile chip business to ST for $1.7 bn.
Infineon had a massive success selling its mobile chip business to Intel for $1.4 bn.
ST appears to have found no buyers for its mobile chip jv ST-Ericsson, which may have to be closed down.
So Renesas may have a tough row to hoe.
Source:
http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2013/03/13/55744/renesas-considering-selling-mobile-ic-division.htm
