Why semiconductor companies so actively buys each other last time?

[kazan417]

What is happening with semiconductor companies?
altera is aquired by intel
atmel is aqured by microchip
linear technology is aquired by analog devices
It is good for us or bad?
Who is next?
And of course DANGER Russian virus in this message, because... you know... i am from Russia so take it 
01101010 01101111 01101011 01100101

[G7PSK]

One word. Patents.

[kazan417]

Do you think it is good for us - customers? If companies integrate more technology in their new chips it is good for us... wright?

[daqq]

It's not just semiconductor companies, the frequency of acquisitions/consolidations has increased in other areas as well. Just an example: IBM bought several noteworthy companies in recent years, so have others. Mentor got bought by Siemens, Eagle got bought by Autodesk (and the reaction is universally bad).

Do you think it is good for us - customers? If companies integrate more technology in their new chips it is good for us... wright?

No. Monopolies or oligopolies are rarely good for the consumer. Basically, if the buying company just wants their patents/IP they might discontinue the products (or a portion of them) of the acquired company. Also, larger companies tend not to give a shit about the smaller customers (smaller = buys less than 100k pcs/year), so you may expect NDAs popping up instead of previously available datasheets, depending on the corporate culture. And then there's the part where competition leads to innovation. And also the entry into a market that's controlled by a few gigantic companies is pretty much impossible.
As to more tech being crammed into ICs, well, that's nice, but at the end of the day you don't want the simple devices to disappear. Basically, you want a market where you can get a non 0.5mm BGA version of the chip you want.

[razberik]

I always say "shareholders are idiots". I mean those shareholders who sold their shares.

[ivaylo]

Tough market with tiny margins so they have to consolidate is the last explanation I heard.

[daqq]

Basically, you want a market where you can get a non 0.5mm BGA version of the chip you want.

You might want that but you would be a miniscule part of the customer (or enduser) base. Most have no idea what BGA is let alone the footprint.

Please re-read that statement - I claim that you want a market where you can get a NON 0.5mm BGA version of the chip. I fully agree with you that most people want to avoid too high end stuff.