Qualcomm acquires Arduino to make AI development more accessible — microcontroller maker's hardware becomes the foundation of mobile tech giant's edge AI stack

Recent AI market plays have produced all sorts of inter-company investments and flat-out acquisitions. Most of those are somewhat predictable, but occasionally an unexpected deal comes out of left field. Mobile chip giant Qualcomm is acquiring microcontroller expert Arduino for an undisclosed sum. Along with its acquisition, Qualcomm also announced a new Arduino Uno Q board and Arduino App Lab IDE software.

The chipmaker claims that buying Arduino allows it to deliver "a full-stack edge platform," or in other words, edge-device AI, with Arduino microcontrollers as the hardware piece of that puzzle. That would make a measure of sense, given Qualcomm's remarks that this acquisition should dovetail nicely with its acquisitions of the Edge Impulse IoT AI platform and IoT DevOps provider Foundries.io.

Since its founding in the mid-2000s, Arduino has grown to become the default option for anyone wanting an affordable microcontroller, thanks to the open-source design of the hardware and software. The devices spawned thousands of clones and an immense community that makes it exceedingly simple for newcomers to join in. The main distinction between an Arduino and a Raspberry Pi is the former is microcontroller based, the latter being a micro-computer. Though, Raspberry Pi has entered the microcontroller scene with its Raspberry Pi Pico, powered by its own RP2040 and RP2350 custom silicon.

The immediate question likely to be on most enthusiasts' minds, then, is what will happen to Arduino now that it's owned by one of the largest technology companies on the planet. For its part, Qualcomm states that Arduino will "preserve its open approach and community spirit" and "retain its independent brand, tools, and mission".

While that statement sounds good at face value, Qualcomm's (in)famous legal team might take umbrage with the amount of "-duino" clones out there. The Arduino ecosystem is a free-for-all (in a good way), and if Qualcomm adds any barriers to Arduino device usage, like forced product registrations or more restrictive licensing, that could put a significant chill on the project.

The devices themselves (and their clones) are ubiquitous and can be found most anywhere that sells electronic components and even big-box retailers. Any tightening of the supply chain or preferential resellers would also carry a negative impact.

Having said all that, there's no denying that having immediate and direct access to Qualcomm's technology and resources might prove a substantial benefit to Arduino. Chips and designs ought to be far easier to source, and Qualcomm's weight in purchasing components could result in even more affordable or better-performant Arduino devices.

Introducing Arduino UNO Q - YouTube

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As for the new Arduino Uno Q, it marries a Qualcomm DragonWing QRB2210 CPU that's capable of running Debian Linux with an STM32U585 microcontroller. This is the first Arduino product meant to work with the new Arduino App Lab, an IDE for Real-time OS, Linux, and Python — though it's apparently not yet available in the Arduino downloads section.

The price points, although likely justifiable, are encroaching on Raspberry Pi territory. The Uno Q comes in two variants: one with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of eMMC storage, for $44 or 39€, that can be preordered today and will ship on October 25; the other with 4 GB of memory and 32 GB of storage for $59 or 53€. If you fancy the higher-end model, you should be able to order it in November, though the release date is currently set to "end of year." Let's hope Qualcomm continues to invest in the Arduino ecosystem and maintains its open spirit.

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