The EU has approved Broadcom's $61B acquisition bid for virtualization software firm VMware,

 

The EU has approved Broadcom's $61B acquisition bid for virtualization software firm VMware, with certain conditions regarding access and interoperability.  The European Commission's antitrust approval could pave the way for the U.S. chipmaker to complete the deal by Nov. 1, pending reviews by U.S. and U.K. regulators. VMware's virtualization software is compatible with hardware components, including adapters supplied by Broadcom. The deal has faced scrutiny over concerns that Broadcom could limit competition in those hardware markets. Specifically, antitrust regyulators were worried about restrictions on interoperability between VMware's software and Broadcom's hardware rivals, like Marvell. The EU's conditions require Broadcom to provide "guaranteed access" and interoperability, including APIs, materials,  and technical support, to competitors, enabling them to continue using VMware's software. If successful, this acquisition would be one of the largest in the tech industry, allowing Broadcom to expand its presence in enterprise infrastructure software. Additionally, Broadcom's software division would undergo rebranding as VMware.