> Apparently, ARM wants to push through a new licensing model to generate more revenue. The main aim is to base license costs on the price of the device rather than the processor. According to Qualcomm, this involves a one-off payment of several hundred million US dollars plus significantly higher license fees on an ongoing basis.
Interesting. That's what Qualcomm itself does, right?
That is almost exactly how they usually do it, but they many times negotiate per company. However, it does look like ARM trying to have a redo on their contract that they have had in place for a very long time, now that ARM is more popular. When it was the cell manufactures that made it possible for ARM to be in the current position it is in precisely because of the terms ARM had in its contract years ago. Qcom may have a good case as they have put arm chips in computers before (omnitracs). ARM saying it has to be tied with a modem, and buying another company does a full reset on the existing contract may not go far.
so... if qcom included a "modem" on their server board would arm be happy? well not happy, but would it satisfy arms interpretation of the contract?
I could totally see every single server board saddled with some obsolete appendix of a cell baseband to satisfy the letter of some sweet contract qualcom had with arm saving the company a fair few million.
Possible. But more than likely they will meet in the middle and ARM will get something and QCOM will get something. But no where near what either is asking. But qcom does have a stronger position.
Interesting. That's what Qualcomm itself does, right?