Unless some very nasty nasties are uncovered in the due diligence process, Psion Plc will acquire the most attractive bits of Amstrad Plc. And to make it all a little easier, Amstrad yesterday announced that it would split the Amstrad Consumer Electronics business, once the core of the whole company, between its majority-owned Betacom Plc affiliate and a newly formed subsidiary company called Digicom Technology. Psion is definitly interested in Amstrad’s Dancall A/S digital cellular telephone maker, and is quite interested in the profitable Viglen Plc personal computer manufacturer and direct sales outfit. So moving Amstrad Consumer Electronics outside Amstrad’s core is seen as helpfully clearing the way for a Psion deal. The Amstrad, Sinclair and Fidelity brand names will be licensed to Betacom for audio, video and telecommunications products. Digicom will get Amstrad’s existing analog satellite dish business, which includes a research and development arm.
