Where Did Qualcomm Go Wrong?

Bolaji Ojo, EETimes
8/3/2018 00:01 AM EDT

Qualcomm found the villains elsewhere. Not at home. China, the negative environment, and “something that was above us” scuttled its $44 billion bid for NXP Semiconductor, as CEO Steve Mollenkopf reportedly framed it. Blaming someone else was easier than doing a deep dive, but were Qualcomm missteps and misreading of the competitive environment also responsible for the fiasco?

It’s a justifiable question. The Qualcomm–NXP trip was an expensive sortie: Qualcomm has paid $2 billion in mandatory break-off fees to NXP, but the bill for the hidden costs may be much higher. For nearly two years, the communications IC and IP supplier and its target endured prolonged uncertainties. Even now, the spasms from customer disruptions remain strong while many employees, though heaving a sigh of relief, must figure out where they truly belong in the enterprise.

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