SoftBank tries to sell ARM to Foxconn and TSMC

Last month rumors popped up that SoftBank is considering a sale or IPO of its ARM holdings. The Japanese firm bought ARM in 2016 for $32 billion and is looking to cash in. Recently there was a rumor that NVIDIA made a bid for ARM, followed by whispers that a consortium of tech firms was trying to acquire ARM.

Now there's a fresh rumor from Nikkei Asian Review that claims Apple stepped away from a potential deal. TSMC and Foxconn reportedly showed some interest, but aren't willing to buy ARM outright. The talks between SoftBank and NVIDIA are said to be more advanced.

Two of those people said TSMC and Foxconn showed some interest, while Nvidia is in more advanced talks and wants to acquire Arm outright, rather than just picking up a large stake. Apple has evaluated it and stepped away, sources said. Samsung, meanwhile, has said reports that it was considering buying a small stake in Arm were "groundless," according to Reuters.

The Financial Times previously reported that Nvidia was in advanced talks with SoftBank to buy Arm in a deal that will be worth more than $32 billion. TSMC and Foxconn, which are more inclined to take a stake or, in the case of an acquisition, join a consortium, are monitoring how the talks with Nvidia evolve, sources said.

Whether a deal will be reached is still unknown. Partial stakes or a full acquisition by a consortium of companies seems like the safest option for the ARM ecosystem.