Topic: Is ARM an actual company?

[tendoboy1984]

I've been reading about how ARM processors are used in a majority of mobile devices (phones, tablets, handhelds, etc.). Is there an actual company named ARM (directly competing with Intel, AMD, Nvidia)?

[MegaByte]

Yes. Nividia uses ARM too for their mobile stuff, though.

[tendoboy1984]

Yes. Nividia uses ARM too for their mobile stuff, though.

So if ARM is an actual company, then that means they are directly competing with Intel, AMD, and Nvidia, right?

[TJ Spyke]

ARM doesn't really make its own CPUs, they mostly just license their tech to other companies. Intel and AMD both license their technology. As does Nvidia, Apple, Nintendo, Samsung, Texas Instruments, and others.

[MegaByte]

They're only now competing with Intel because until very recently, their markets didn't overlap (ARM PCs are just getting started, Windows 8 will run on ARM, and the first Intel phones just came out). AMD may be making a deal with ARM. And as I said, Nvidia already uses ARM designs in their mobile chips.

[tendoboy1984]

ARM doesn't really make its own CPUs, they mostly just license their tech to other companies. Intel and AMD both license their technology. As does Nvidia, Apple, Nintendo, Samsung, Texas Instruments, and others.

Hmm, interesting. So they're not really a chip manufacturer then. Pretty much the opposite of Intel, AMD, and Nvidia.

[BranDonk Kong]

ARM is a chip designer, not exactly a manufacturer. Pretty much every tablet and modern cell phone uses an ARM processor. It's more like these companies use ARM's designs to compete with each other, at least it was before Intel got into the phone game, and ARM got into the PC game.

[TJ Spyke]

They do make processors and semi-conductors; but yeah, their biggest business is software design and licensing those IPs to others.

[tendoboy1984]

ARM is a chip designer, not exactly a manufacturer. Pretty much every tablet and modern cell phone uses an ARM processor. It's more like these companies use ARM's designs to compete with each other, at least it was before Intel got into the phone game, and ARM got into the PC game.

So ARM is competing with Intel, Nvidia, and AMD then. All of those companies design their own chips, right?

[TJ Spyke]

ARM is a chip designer, not exactly a manufacturer. Pretty much every tablet and modern cell phone uses an ARM processor. It's more like these companies use ARM's designs to compete with each other, at least it was before Intel got into the phone game, and ARM got into the PC game.

So ARM is competing with Intel, Nvidia, and AMD then. All of those companies design their own chips, right?

Not quite. AMD and Nivida mainly make GPU chips, ARM designs CPU chips.

[MegaByte]

Not quite. AMD and Nivida mainly make GPU chips, ARM designs CPU chips.

What? AMD makes tons of CPUs.

[tendoboy1984]

What? AMD makes tons of CPUs.

AMD started off as a CPU company, like Intel. AMD got into the GPU business after they bought out ATI.


Nvidia, on the other hand, has pretty much solely made GPUs.

[ShyGuy]

And Foxconn makes parts for everybody!

[tendoboy1984]

And Foxconn makes parts for everybody!

China rules the world, actually.