Arm (company)

Arm Ltd. (stylized as arm) is a British semiconductor and software design company based in Cambridge, England. Its primary business is in the design of ARM processors (CPUs), although it also designs software development tools under the DS-5, RealView, and Keil brands, as well as systems and platforms, system-on-a-chip (SoC) infrastructure, and software. Arm's main CPU products are the ARM Cortex series, ARM Mali series for GPUs, and a wide range of IoT (Internet of Things) devices.

History

Arm Ltd. was founded as Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. in November 1990 as a joint venture between Acorn Computers, Apple Computer, and VLSI Technology. The new company intended to further the development of the Acorn RISC Machine processor, which was originally developed for Acorn's personal computers. One of the first widely recognized products to use an ARM processor was the Apple Newton, a pioneering personal digital assistant (PDA).

Over the years, Arm has transitioned from a hardware manufacturer to a software and IP (Intellectual Property) provider, licensing its processor designs to other companies who manufacture and sell chips. This business model has allowed Arm to become one of the most widely used processor architectures in the world, powering a vast array of devices from smartphones and tablets to embedded systems and servers.

Architecture

The ARM architecture is known for its power efficiency, which makes it particularly popular for mobile and embedded applications. The architecture has evolved over time, with the introduction of the ARM Cortex series enhancing performance and energy efficiency. The ARMv8 architecture, for example, introduced 64-bit support, further expanding the capabilities of ARM processors in servers and high-end computing devices.

Licensing

Arm licenses its technology to partners who design their own products that incorporate Arm cores. There are two main types of licenses: processor licenses and architectural licenses. Processor licenses allow the licensee to manufacture chips based on Arm's existing core designs, while architectural licenses permit the licensee to design their own cores using the ARM architecture.

Market Impact

Arm's technology is pervasive in the mobile market, with the majority of smartphones and tablets running on ARM-based processors. Beyond mobile, Arm processors are found in a wide range of electronics, from wearable devices to automotive systems. The company's push into the server and networking space has also begun to challenge the dominance of traditional x86 processors in these areas.

Acquisition by SoftBank

In September 2016, Arm was acquired by SoftBank Group Corp., a Japanese multinational conglomerate, for £24.3 billion. The acquisition was part of SoftBank's strategy to expand its portfolio in the technology sector. Despite the acquisition, Arm continues to operate as a separate entity within the SoftBank Group, maintaining its headquarters in Cambridge and its business model of licensing IP to clients.

Future Directions

Arm continues to innovate in the semiconductor industry, with a focus on expanding its reach in the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and autonomous driving technologies. The company's efforts to enter the server market have also gained traction, with several manufacturers releasing ARM-based servers aimed at energy-efficient computing environments.