On August 5, according to the Nikkei Asia Review, a number of people familiar with the matter said, includingTaiwan Semiconductor ManufacturingAndFoxconnInsideApple Inc Ltd.The major suppliers are interested in investing in ARM, a British chip design company. In this regard, a spokesman for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd said that there are no plans to invest in ARM at present.

Four years ago.Softbank Corp.The group acquired ARM for $32 billion. Four years after the acquisition, Softbank Corp., who is currently in financial trouble, is looking to sell ARM again. Softbank Corp. recorded a record operating loss of 1.4 trillion yen ($13 billion) in the 2019 fiscal year ended March 31, 2020.

Although ARM provides the architecture for more than 90 per cent of the world's mobile chips, analysts say ARM monopolizes the market but does not make money, charging an average royalty of 1 cent per phone, and Mr son is unable to penetrate ARM's decision-making level. As a result, the sale of ARM to obtain funds to repay the growing debt has become Softbank Corp. 's strategy to appease uneasy investors.

At present, Softbank Corp. has contacted Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, Foxconn, Apple Inc, Samsung andNVIDIA CorpAnd other technology giants to discuss the sale.

Apple Inc decided to give up after evaluating ARM. Samsung denied that it would buy shares in ARM, while NVIDIA Corp wanted to buy ARM completely.

But Hermann Hauser, co-founder of ARM, said he did not want ARM to be acquired by NVIDIA Corp and that he thought it would be a disaster to sell ARM to NVIDIA Corp.

ARM's business model is to license all large chipmakers to use its technology. Softbank Corp. is not a chip company, so he can retain the neutrality of ARM. If ARM is sold to NVIDIA Corp, NVIDIA Corp's competitors, that is, most of the licensees, will naturally look for alternatives to ARM.

In addition, X86PC platform chips, such as AMD7nm notebook chips andIntel7nm chips, will be made by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, if Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd buys ARM, it will also touch the principle of non-competition.

At present, the acquisition is becoming more and more complicated. However, selling ARM is not the only option, and Softbank Corp. is also studying whether ARM can be re-listed as early as next year. Because, no matter which company acquires ARM, it will face lengthy antitrust investigations from various countries, so the reorganization and listing of ARM may be the fastest way for Softbank Corp. to "return blood".