Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Qualcomm is acquiring Arduino but allowing it to operate independently.
- The new Qualcomm-powered UNO Q is available for $44.
- Qualcomm is a huge player in the SBC space, dwarfing Raspberry Pi.
Chip and modem maker Qualcomm has announced that it plans to acquire Arduino, the Italian open-source hardware and software company that’s the center of many homebrew and industrial interactive electronics projects.
Simultaneously with the acquisition announcement, Arduino launched the UNO Q, a single-board computer (SBC) powered by a Qualcomm chip.
Also: Raspberry Pi alternatives: The best single board computers for your next home project
According to Qualcomm, the Arduino deal will “supercharge developer productivity across industries [and] will preserve its open approach and community spirit while unlocking a full‑stack platform for modern development.”
Qualcomm said the 33 million active Arduino community users will get access to Qualcomm Technologies’ technology stack and global reach and that there will be “a clear path to commercialization.” The company has also been very keen to point out that Arduino will retain its brand and mission and is fully behind Qualcomm’s open source ethos.
The UNO Q is quite a powerhouse. At its core is the Qualcomm Dragonwing QRB2210 chip, which combines a quad-core Kryo CPU clocked up to 2.0 GHz and an Adreno 702 GPU running at 845 MHz. It also has 2GB of LPDDR4 RAM, 16GB eMMC storage, and can leverage Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1.
On the board is an 8×13 blue LED matrix that can be controlled using code. There are also 47 digital I/O pins along with six analog inputs, making this a very capable single-board computer.
The board is available for pre-order from DigiKey for $44.
Also: The most powerful Raspberry Pi just launched with some serious RAM and an RGB keyboard
Arduino is already a significant player in the SBC market, with boards like the UNO R4, alongside competitors such as Odroid, BeagleBoard, Orange Piand … Raspberry Pi.
So far, Raspberry Pi hasn’t faced much serious competition; however, with Qualcomm throwing its $42.8 billion revenue heft against Raspberry Pi (with its $346.5 million revenue), things could change. Previously, Arduino turned over some $140 million, so it was a much smaller fish.
Get the biggest stories in tech every Friday with ZDNET’s Week in Review newsletter.
I don’t think Raspberry Pi has much to worry about in the short to medium term. It’s a well-established name and is innovating a lot at the moment. But Qualcomm is a big company, and such a big player entering into a space in such a dramatic manner will no doubt raise eyebrows at the Raspberry Pi Foundation.