Plus obstacles for Nvidia to finally buy ARM: the british government It seems that he is not very satisfied with the preliminary investigation they have carried out into the operation that would end up with ARM in the hands of the first, and apparently, according to the Sunday Times, he is going to open a thorough investigation into the purchase agreement, for reasons of national security. It will be, when it begins, the second formal in-depth investigation of the operation, since the European Union opened its investigation almost a month ago.
In this case, according to the Sunday newspaper The Times, La UK Secretary for Culture, Digital, Media and Sports, Nadine Dorrieswill ask the country’s Competition and Markets Authority to open what is called a “phase two investigation” of the Nvidia deal, for the reasons mentioned. The announcement of the opening of this investigation could arrive this week.
This investigation would delay Nvidia’s plans even further, since it would last about six months. When finalized, officials tasked with studying the deal can block it, approve it as-is, or make their approval conditional on Nvidia making any concessions they ask for. But still, it will not have at least until well into 2022 the UK approval, if it gets it, for the purchase. You will also have to wait for other regulatory entities to complete their respective investigations.
For now, the only thing that Nvidia can do is provide the different authorities with the documentation and explanations they request, and although its official version always says in this regard that with these investigations they have the opportunity to explain themselves better and emphasize that it will not end with ARM’s open and neutral model if the agreement is closed and the purchase is made official, without a doubt these procedures are a setback for the company. And although he periodically emphasizes that there will be an open license model that you will treat customers fairly. it does not end the misgivings that the operation arouses, so he has no choice but to wait for the investigations that are being opened to conclude.
