With a wave of consolidation sweeping the chip industry, Qualcomm is talking to NXP Semiconductors about an acquisition with a price tag that could top $30 billion. NXP is the world's top maker of chips for cars, and its broader product line would help Qualcomm diversify as the market for wireless chips matures.
[Eyk Henning, Dana Mattioli and Dana Cimilluca | Wall Street Journal]
Salesforce, which lost out when business-networking site LinkedIn agreed to be acquired by Microsoft, is pressing the EU to investigate that deal over antitrust and privacy issues. Salesforce argues that Microsoft could block rivals' access to the valuable pool of data generated by LinkedIn's 450 million members. The deal has already been cleared by U.S. regulators.
[Dina Bass and Brian Womack | Bloomberg]
Google is consolidating its enterprise software, services and hardware offerings into a new unit called Google Cloud. It's also rebranding its collection of workplace apps as G Suite and adding features driven by machine learning.
[Mark Bergen | Bloomberg]
Microsoft is sharpening its focus on artificial intelligence by merging its Bing and Cortana product groups with its longstanding Microsoft Research lab to create a 5,000-person AI and Research Group.
[Ina Fried | Recode]
On the latest episode of Too Embarrassed to Ask, Kevin Purdy of The Wirecutter gives Kara Swisher and Lauren Goode the lowdown on all the foam mattresses offered by new online, direct-to-consumer companies.
[Eric Johnson | Recode]
