Isn’t it funny when a relatively small skirmish over money boils over to threaten the entire Android ecosystem (checks notes)? That’s what’s happening now as chip firm Arm has taken the step of revoking the architecture license that allows Qualcomm to make its chips.
Originally, in 2021, Qualcomm bought Nuvia, an AI chip company that was also a licensee of Arm. Qualcomm has used Nuvia’s technology inside its AI PC chips, but Arm feels Qualcomm never asked for its blessing to transfer those licenses.
In response, Arm sued Qualcomm in 2022 to get what it’s rightfully owed, with the fight scheduled for a hearing this December. But unless someone backs down in the interim, Qualcomm won’t be able to make chips — the bedrock of its multibillion-dollar business.
I wouldn’t worry too much, given how high the stakes are for both companies in this situation. Chances are someone will cut a fat check a few days before the license is revoked, and everyone will slowly start tolerating each other.
A communications satellite built by Boeing has exploded and broken up while in geostationary orbit around Earth. The US Space Force believes the Intelsat hardware has broken into 20 pieces, while Roscosmos says it is tracking 80 pieces. There is no threat to life on Earth, but the debris could pose a risk to other satellites in orbit – as well as to Boeing’s reputation.
I’ll be honest, I found Severance to be the most stressful TV show of 2022, to the point that my heart was pounding for most of the season finale. Now, after nearly three years of production, the second season will debut on Apple TV+ on January 17, 2025. I’m still not sure if my body can see a second time, but those with a strong constitution should prepare.
Tesla has claimed that it is working on a range of more affordable EVs, with production scheduled to begin in the first half of 2025. Of course, like any promise coming from a company owned by Elon Musk, we should take this with a pinch of salt. However if you want an affordable Tesla, the used market has been pretty plentiful for some time now.
TSMC has reportedly cut off a company that sent its chips to Huawei
Huawei is believed to have used a new TSMC-made chip in its hardware, despite a number of restrictions being put in place to prevent this from happening. Now, TSMC has revealed that it has halted shipments to a client that may have been quietly handing over its supplies to the Chinese technology giant. If this is true, you have to wonder how long it will take for Huawei to do the same before anyone finds out.