In a significant development, Apple has inked a new agreement with Arm for chip technology, and this collaboration is set to extend well into the future, beyond the year 2040, as revealed in Arm’s initial public offering (IPO) documents filed on Tuesday.
Arm, renowned for its cutting-edge chip designs, disclosed pricing details for what is anticipated to be a remarkable $52 billion IPO. This offering is poised to be the largest IPO deal in the United States this year. SoftBank Group, the current owner of Arm, plans to offer 95.5 million American depository shares of the UK-based technology company at a price range of $47 to $51 per share, as detailed in Arm’s filing.
Arm’s significance in the tech industry lies in its ownership of intellectual property pertaining to the computing architecture used in the majority of the world’s smartphones. This architecture is licensed to various tech giants, including Apple. Notably, Apple leverages Arm’s technology extensively in the development of its custom-designed chips for iPhones, iPads, and Macs, underpinning the performance and efficiency of these iconic devices, Reuters news report said.
The affiliation between Apple and Arm spans several decades. Apple was one of the pioneering companies that joined forces to establish Arm in 1990, even before the launch of its “Newton” handheld computer in 1993, which featured an Arm-based processor chip. While the Newton faced challenges in the market, Arm thrived and ultimately became the dominant player in mobile phone chips, largely due to its energy-efficient designs that significantly extend battery life.
In a move reflecting their continued collaboration and mutual interest, Apple was among a group of prominent technology companies that collectively invested $735 million in Arm’s forthcoming IPO. This strategic investment underscores the tech industry’s recognition of Arm’s pivotal role in shaping the future of computing.
The revelation of this extended chip technology deal between Apple and Arm, which stretches beyond 2040, was conspicuously absent from Arm’s prior IPO filing documents, publicly disclosed on August 21. This implies that the agreement was forged between that date and September 5, signaling a significant commitment by both companies to advance technological innovation well into the future.
