MediaTek acquires Intel's power-management chip business for US$85 million

Intel markets its Enpirion SoCs as straightforward, integrator-friendly solutions that control the power levels sent from a supply or battery to other components such as integrated circuits (ICs) or processors. Or, rather, it used to, having just sold this part of its business to MediaTek. The Taiwanese OEM will reportedly complete this multi-million-dollar transaction through its own subsidiary Richtek by the end of 2020.

MediaTek may intend to combine its new Enpirion chips - defined as DC to DC step-down converters - with new application-specific ICs (ASICs) it reportedly has in the works. The resulting solutions might help it advance its ambitions in enterprise-grade markets.

It has also apparently secured an agreement to integrate Enpirion modules into a new components order placed by Google. This contract may be relevant to the Mountain View giant's 5G and server technology. Therefore, with this new acquisition, MediaTek may be in a position to offer more all-in-one platforms pitched at very relevant industries in the future.