Qualcomm acquires RF360, hires staff to scale 5G

On Monday, U.S. chip manufacturer Qualcomm announced that it is acquiring the remaining interest in RF360, bringing the total purchase price of the company to $3.1 billion. RF360 began as a joint venture between Qualcomm and Tokyo-based electronics giant TDK corporation, and the acquisition, according to the chip manufacturer, will aid in the push to scale 5G. “The next goal, which I think will start in 2020, is to scale 5G,” said Cristiano Amon, president of Qualcomm in an interview. The company is looking to bring 5G to its 7 and 6 series Snapdragon mobile processors instead of just its premium tier. According to Amon, this will make 5G more accessible by providing “phones at multiple platforms for 5G.” Amon also stated that Qualcomm is adding to its numbers. “We’re adding […] new employees to Qualcomm, and it’s just the last milestone in our journey to be building RF [radio frequency] business for Qualcomm,” he said.