Separate bids by Apple and Qualcomm to invest in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in order to gain exclusive access to smartphone chips have been turned down, according to “Bloomberg” (http://macte.ch/dycBr).
Quoting unnamed “people with knowledge of the matter,” the article says both proposals included investments, each of more than $1 billion, for the world’s largest custom maker of chips to set aside production dedicated to making chips exclusively for them — “them” being Apple and Qualcomm. TSMC wants to retain control of its plants, doesn’t want to sell part of itself and doesn’t need cash for investments, according to TSMC Chief Financial Officer Lora Ho.
