Nvidia announced that the graphics specialist is to buy British chipmaker Icera in order to gain the firm’s portfolio of so-called mobile radio ‘baseband’ chips.
The $367 million acquisition of Bristol-based Icera gives Nvidia the capability to provide chips that not only handle graphics and processing but also 3G and 4G mobile connections.
Nvidia said the move would assist OEM customers in improving their time to market with next-generation mobile computing devices and that by offering the two major chips inside phones and tablets the firm would have doubled revenue potential for each device.
"This is a key step in Nvidia’s plans to be a major player in the mobile computing revolution," said Nvidia boss Jen-Hsun Huang.
"Adding Icera’s technology to Tegra gives us an outstanding platform to support the industry’s best phones and tablets.