Arm doubles down in its Qualcomm fight

Isn’t it fun when a relatively minor skirmish over money boils over to threaten (checks notes) the whole Android ecosystem? .

Essentially, back in 2021, Qualcomm bought an AI chip company, Nuvia, which was also an Arm licensee. Qualcomm has used Nuvia’s technology inside its AI PC chips, but Arm feels Qualcomm never sought its blessing to transfer those licenses.

In response, Arm sued Qualcomm in 2022 to try to get what it was owed, with the battle due to go to trial this December. But unless someone backs down in the interim, Qualcomm might not be able to make the chips — the basis for its multi-billion dollar business.

I wouldn’t worry too much, given how high the stakes are for both companies in this situation. It’s likely someone will cut a hefty check days before the license is withdrawn, and everyone can go back to gently tolerating each other.

— Dan Cooper

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News in Brief

Boeing-made, you say?

A Boeing-made communications satellite has exploded, breaking up while in geostationary orbit around Earth. . There is no danger to life on Earth, but the debris may pose a risk to other satellites in orbit — as well as Boeing’s reputation.

Lumon strikes back.

I’ll be honest, I found Severance to be the most stressful TV show of 2022, to the point where I had heart palpitations for most of the season finale. Now, after nearly three years in production, the second season will debut on Apple TV+ on January 17, 2025. I’m still not sure if my body can manage a second go, but those with stronger constitutions should make preparations.

Ah yes, a promise from Elon Musk.

. Of course, like any pledge coming out of an Elon Musk-owned company, we must take that with a pinch of salt. Although if you want a cheap Tesla, the used market has been pretty bountiful for a while now.

An update on the AI chip drama.

Huawei is believed to have used a new TSMC-made chip in its hardware despite the number of sanctions designed to stop that happening. Now, . If true, it makes you wonder how long Huawei expected to do this before someone noticed.