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Sony to buy Israel's Altair for 212 million USD

Xinhua, January 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

Sony has reached an agreement to buy Altair Semiconductor, an Israel-based chip manufacturer, for 212 million U.S. dollars, both companies said on Tuesday.

Founded in 2005, Altair develops modem chip technology and software for 4G cellular mobile devices.

"Altair's chips, characterized by low power consumption and low cost, will be integrated into sensors and positioning technologies (GPS) by Sony," Altair said in a statement sent to Xinhua.

The move means a boost to Sony's investment in chip technology, which the company hopes to combine in various devices.

"With the acquisition of Altair, Sony aims to not only expand Altair's existing business, but also to move forward with research on and development of new sensing technologies," Sony said in a statement.

"By combining Sony's sensing technologies - such as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and image sensors - with Altair's high-performance, low power consumption and cost-competitive modem chip technology, Sony will strive to develop a new breed of cellular-connected, sensing component devices," it added.

These devices could include wearable devices, smart glasses, autonomous cars, the company said.

The Japanese electronics giant said it expects to complete the acquisition in early February. Endit