In the fast-paced world of technology, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are very important for determining the future of the field. M&As have a big effect on business, whether it’s big tech companies buying up smaller startups to add new technologies or companies merging to get a bigger part of the market. In 2024, too, some of the biggest tech mergers and acquisitions are making news. Here is a list of the most important deals that will change businesses, affect competition, and determine the future of technology.
Amazon Buys Shopify to Dominate Online Shopping
The deal between Amazon and Shopify, which is likely to change the global e-commerce market, is one of the biggest in the tech industry in 2024. Amazon is already a major player in online shopping, and this purchase is a smart move to add Shopify’s famous platform and reach more small and medium-sized businesses. People think this is a brave move by Amazon to strengthen its position as the leader in online shopping, giving it more tools to fight with eBay and Alibaba. Amazon’s huge logistics network will now make it even easier for independent sellers to use Shopify. This will give online businesses all over the world more ways to grow without any problems. (Source: The Verge)
Microsoft buys GitLab to make its developer tools better
In the past few years, Microsoft has been buying a lot of companies, and 2024 will be no different. Many people were surprised when Microsoft bought GitLab, one of the best DevOps systems, to add to its already strong collection of developer tools. Microsoft wants to give the most complete set of developer tools in the business by adding GitLab’s platform to its Azure cloud services. This will put it in direct competition with GitHub, which it bought in 2018. It’s possible that this acquisition will speed up progress in DevOps and cloud-based software development. It looks like Microsoft’s plan is to be the leader in all areas of cloud development and business software products. (Source: TechCrunch)
NVIDIA Buys Arm to Dominate Semiconductors
After legal problems and talks, NVIDIA’s plan to buy Arm, which began in 2021, finally came true in 2024. This is one of the biggest tech deals ever, and it strengthens NVIDIA’s standing in the semiconductor business. Arm’s processor designs are used in everything from smartphones to data centers. This merger will give NVIDIA more power than ever before over the future of chip technology. AI, gaming, and cloud computing are all expected to get better as a result of NVIDIA’s leadership in GPUs and Arm’s leadership in CPU design. Analysts in the field think that this deal will have a big impact on the next ten years of hardware development. (Source: Bloomberg)
When Apple buys Peloton, it’s a step toward connected fitness
Apple made news in 2024 when it bought Peloton, which marked its official entry into the market for connected fitness. The combination of Peloton’s interactive exercise equipment and Apple’s growing health and wellness ecosystem will make the best fitness experience ever. Apple wants to add the hardware and software from Peloton to its current Apple Health and Fitness+ services. This move is a big part of Apple’s plan to take over the health tech market. The company wants to make sure that all of its products and services work together seamlessly. Apple will also be a major player in the fitness tech business, which is growing quickly, especially as more people switch to fitness solutions they can use at home. (CNBC as an example)
Meta Buys Discord: Making the Social Metaverse Bigger
In 2024, Meta (formerly Facebook) bought Discord to add social contact to its virtual reality ecosystem as part of its ongoing search for the metaverse. Discord is known for having large groups of gamers and creators. It gives Meta a powerful way to communicate as it builds the metaverse. With this purchase, Meta will be able to make contact in its VR environments more seamless, letting users talk, video chat, and text chat in real time. Meta will also be able to reach a large group of people who are already familiar with virtual worlds through Discord. This will make it easier for Meta to bring these people into its concept of the metaverse. (Source: The Verge)
Oracle Buys Databricks: How AI and Big Data Work Together
Oracle has bought Databricks, a company known for its skill in big data and AI. Oracle is a leader in cloud infrastructure and enterprise software. People think that Oracle is merging with this company to improve its AI and cloud services in 2024. Databricks has been a leader in making data engineering and machine learning easier to use. When it is added to Oracle’s cloud services, it will give businesses powerful tools to use AI and handle big data. Oracle will be able to compete better with Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure now that it has a stronger position in the growing AI and data analytics market thanks to this purchase. Forbes is a source.
Intel Buys Graphcore: A Move Into AI Hardware
Intel bought Graphcore, a company that makes machine intelligence computers, with the goal of making AI hardware. In 2024, AI will be important for everything from self-driving cars to smart cities. This purchase is seen as Intel’s attempt to get back to the top of the AI chip market. Graphcore’s new AI processors, called Intelligence Processing Units (IPUs), are made to speed up AI calculations and directly compete with NVIDIA’s GPUs. With this purchase, Intel will have the cutting edge technology it needs to power next-generation AI apps, such as advanced robotics and deep learning. (ZDNet as a source)
When Spotify buys Sonos, it becomes a smart speaker company
It made a big splash in 2024 when Spotify bought Sonos, the biggest smart speaker company, to grow its hardware business. By putting its music streaming service right into Sonos’s high-quality speakers, Spotify hopes to give a seamless audio experience across all devices. This move shows that Spotify wants to be in charge of both the material and the way that people consume it. With this purchase, Spotify can now compete with tech giants like Apple and Google in the growing market for smart speakers. This market is becoming more and more important to the future of voice-activated services and home control. (See The Wall Street Journal for more)
Tesla Buys Rivian, Bringing Together the Electric Vehicle Market
Tesla bought Rivian, a rising rival in the electric vehicle (EV) space, in one of the most talked-about deals of 2024. This move strengthens Tesla’s lead in the market for electric cars by incorporating Rivian’s cutting-edge truck and SUV designs. Tesla wants to grow its product line and use Rivian’s unique battery technology and assembly methods by buying the company. It is believed that this acquisition will speed up the adoption of electric vehicles in North America, especially in the truck and SUV segments, where Tesla had been having trouble competing before. (Electrek as a source)
Adobe Buys Figma: Making Design Collaboration Better
When Adobe bought Figma in 2024, it was a big deal in the world of design tools. Figma is now one of the most popular ways for designers to work together, especially on UI and UX projects. Adobe’s purchase of Figma shows that it wants to stay at the top of the design software market. When Figma is added to Adobe’s suite of tools, real-time collaboration and cloud-based design processes will get better. This will give designers and creative teams a set of tools that they can’t get anywhere else for making and sharing digital projects. This purchase makes Adobe stronger in the creative software market, protecting it from competitors such as Sketch and Affinity. (Source: TechCrunch)
Conclusion
The tech industry is changing, and the mergers and acquisitions of 2024 show that. Companies want to strengthen their market positions, grow into new areas, and come up with new ideas through strategic relationships. With Amazon taking over e-commerce and Meta’s search for the metaverse, these deals will have a big impact on the future of technology for many years to come. Even though the lines between hardware, software, and services are becoming less clear, mergers and acquisitions will still be a big part of figuring out which companies become stars in the very competitive tech world. (Source: Gartner)
