Qualcomm to buy Atheros for $3.1 billion
The acquisition will give Qualcomm access to wireless LAN, Ethernet, Bluetooth, GPS, passive optical networking, and powerline technologies.
In a move to round out its wireless and networking product portfolio, Qualcomm today announced plans to acquire Atheros for $3.1 billion, or $45 a share.
For Qualcomm, the acquisition highlights a strategy to move beyond its traditional cellular market into more mainstream computing. With Atheros, Qualcomm gains access to wireless LAN, Ethernet, Bluetooth, GPS, passive optical networking, and powerline technologies. Qualcomm plans to take those products and ultimately integrate them with its smartphone and tablet chips.
Analysts were generally upbeat about Qualcomm's plans. Piper Jaffray analyst Auguste Gus Richard said in a research note that Qualcomm will be well-positioned for the "ultramobile era" with the acquisition. Richard asserted that Atheros products will integrate well with Qualcomm's Snapdragon chip.
Read more of "Qualcomm buys Atheros for $3.1 billion, moving into 'silicon beyond cellular'" at ZDNet's Between the Lines.