National Semiconductor Corp has confirmed that it is negotiations with Via Technologies over the purchase of its Cyrix PC processor subsidiary. However, Bill Callahan, senior public relations manager at NatSemi, said that the Taiwanese chip design house – currently in a litigious tangle with Intel Corp – was only one of a number of companies that it was talking to about Cyrix. An official announcement about the fate of the subsidiary, which was put on the market by NatSemi in May, is expected today.
A deal between Via and NatSemi could be beneficial to both companies. Last week, Intel revoked the license that allowed Via to develop x86-compatible chipsets, effectively putting the brake on Via’s development of its rival to Intel’s Rambus memory standard, PC133. A deal with NatSemi would allow Via access to its x86 license, bypassing Intel. Meanwhile, NatSemi would be able to meet the June 30 deadline that company CEO Brian Halla set to sell off the ailing Cyrix processor units.
