日前產(chǎn)業(yè)界傳出美商 Microchip 求購英國藍(lán)牙芯片供貨商CSR遭拒，來自兩家公司的官方消息都證實(shí)了此一消息：CSR先發(fā)布新聞稿指出該公司已經(jīng)婉拒了Microchip的首次出價(jià)，而 幾小時(shí)后 Microchip也坦承與CSR有過“初步的雙向討論”；而Microchip首席執(zhí)行官Steve Sanghi其實(shí)曾表示，對物聯(lián)網(wǎng)(IoT)仍抱持懷疑論。 根據(jù)Microchip的聲明，兩家公司有關(guān)于收購案 的討論“仍在非常初步階段”，并強(qiáng)調(diào)目前該公司并沒有任何確定的出價(jià)或是即將出價(jià)的行動，與CSR之間也沒有任何一種形式的交易。同時(shí)CSR的官方消息則 表示，Microchip已經(jīng)提出一個(gè)數(shù)字不公開的價(jià)格，但如果Microchip真的期望能藉由CSR的無線技術(shù)能力強(qiáng)化在物聯(lián)網(wǎng)市場所扮演的角色，那 樣的出價(jià)恐怕不夠；CSR的新聞稿指出：“Microchip所提出的價(jià)格已經(jīng)被拒絕，公司董事會正在考慮其他選項(xiàng)。” 根據(jù)英國的商業(yè)收購規(guī)則，Microchip在9月25日之前還能再度對CSR出價(jià)，或是放棄；而其實(shí)CSR與Microchip對彼此應(yīng)該都很熟悉，雙方不久前才宣布合作推出采用CSR技術(shù)的Bluetooth Smart模塊。 CSR在8月初推出了自家的CSRmesh網(wǎng)狀網(wǎng)絡(luò)通訊協(xié)議開發(fā)工具，號稱能支持客戶快速開發(fā)Bluetooth Smart物聯(lián)網(wǎng)設(shè)備；利用擁有微控制器、混合訊號與模擬、以及閃存技術(shù)的Microchip在嵌入式市場的顯著地位，CSR將更容易實(shí)現(xiàn)稱霸物聯(lián)網(wǎng)市場的夢想。 Microchip在過去幾年陸續(xù)傳出收購消息，幾樁大規(guī)模交易包括在2010年收購閃存供貨商SST (Silicon Storage Technology)，以及Wi-Fi專家ZeroG；2012年則收購了SMSC；此外2014年2月收購Supertex，5月又宣布收購鎖定物聯(lián)網(wǎng)市場的臺灣藍(lán)牙解決方案供貨商創(chuàng)杰(ISSC Technologies)、預(yù)計(jì)第三季完成交易。CSR是否會成為Microchip下一個(gè)收歸旗下的目標(biāo)？有待后續(xù)觀察。 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Judith Cheng 參考英文原文：Microchip in Pursuit of CSR，by Junko Yoshida {pagination} Microchip in Pursuit of CSR Junko Yoshida TAIPEI — It’s official. Microchip Technology CEO Steve Sanghi, once known as a skeptic on the Internet of Things, wants to join the parade big time, as it pursues the UK-based leading Bluetooth chip vendor CSR as a potential acquisition target. Microchip confirmed Thursday that it has had “preliminary mutual discussions with CSR.” The US firm released the statement, several hours after CSR made it publicly known that it has rejected Microchip’s preliminary offer. In the statement, Microchip stressed that “the discussions between the parties are at a very preliminary stage.” The company cautioned that “there can be no certainty that an offer will be made, nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made, or that any other type of transaction will be entered into with CSR or as to the terms, structure or form of any such transaction.” Meanwhile, CSR said that the undisclosed sum of money proposed by Microchip wasn’t enough, if Microchip actually wants to raise its role in the IoT market with CSR’s radio technology. In the prepared statement, CSR said, "The price proposed by Microchip has been rejected and the board is considering its options for the company." Under British takeover rules, Microchip has until Sept. 25 to either announce a firm offer for CSR or walk away. CSR and Microchip are no strangers to each other. Microchip, long known as a “l(fā)ong-tail” company with 70,000 customers, has the ability to connect CSR potentially with a huge customer base. Meanwhile, CSR has an undisputed track record in the Bluetooth and Bluetooth Smart market. CSR announced late last month that Microchip has partnered with CSR to offer a CSR-based Bluetooth Smart module. The goal for the new module is to leverage CSR’s proven Bluetooth Smart ICs and offer a turnkey solution to a wider range of customers, the companies said at that time. CSR today is freshly armed with its home-grown mesh networking technology called CSRmesh, a protocol designed to run over Bluetooth Smart. CSR is now at a critical point in evangelizing the new protocol, thus hoping to lead the Bluetooth-based IoT market. CSR could use Microchip’s powerful presence in the embedded market, in which Microchip leverages its microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog, and flash technologies. Over the past several years, Microchip has been on a shopping spree. The company’s bigger acquisition deals include: Silicon Storage Technology (SST), a flash memory company, acquired by Microchip in 2010; WiFi specialist ZeroG, purchased in 2010; SMSC in 2012; and Supertex in February 2014. Microchip also announced an acquisition deal in May with ISSC Technologies Corp., a Taiwan-based provider of Bluetooth solutions for the IoT market. The transaction will close in the third quarter this year. CSR is believed to be among many potential candidates Sanghi has already set his eyes on.