Qualcomm buys maker of GPS and Bluetooth chips for internet-of-things

Qualcomm has acquired the British maker of GPS and Bluetooth chips, among others, CSR. Qualcomm will pay the equivalent of 2 billion euros for the company and will use the technology for internet-of-things and automotive applications.

The acquisition is part of Qualcomm’s strategy to focus more on the growth markets of internet-of-things, wearables and automotive. CSR targets the audio, home entertainment, camera, automotive and health & fitness markets with its connectivity and location chips and kits. To do this, the company combines GNSS, Bluetooth, WiFi and other chips. CSR is known for its SiRF technology for navigation chipsets, among other things. The British company acquired SiRF in 2009 through a takeover.

Founded in 1999, CSR grew at a rapid pace thanks to the success of the BlueCore1, the first single-chip Bluetooth option at the time. The company turned down an earlier takeover attempt by microcontroller maker Microchip Technology. Qualcomm hopes to complete the acquisition in the summer of 2015.