To further extend its location services, Nokia is launching a maps application for iOS under the HERE brand.

Spansion has announced what it claims is the industry's first single-die 8Gb NOR flash memory product at 45nm. The 8Gb Spansion GL-T delivers high-quality, fast random access read performance to enable a better user experience with interactive graphics, animation and video in games and industrial applications.

Samsung has made no secret of the fact that it provides a number of the key components inside Apple's flagship iPhone and iPad devices, even while actively competing against them with its own Galaxy line of Android competitors. A major change in that relationship has now been reported out of Korea, however, where the Chosun Ilbo says Samsung has increased the price of manufacturing Apple's application processor by nearly 20%.

The maker of wireless chips posts quarterly results much better than it anticipated, and the numbers stand in stark contrast to those of other companies, such as Intel.

Microsoft's instant messaging and video chat are set for a major shake-up, with Microsoft announcing today that the Windows Live Messenger brand and client will be retired in the first quarter of 2013. They'll be replaced by the Skype client and Skype name everywhere, except for China, which will retain the Messenger naming.

ARM is part of a consortium buying the rights to MIPS' portfolio of 580 patents, contributing US$167.5 million to the total US$350 million purchase price. As for ARM itself and its consortium colleagues, its part of the deal will reduce the risk of any infringement of MIPS' patents.

MIPS Technologies has entered into separate definitive agreements with Bridge Crossing, an acquisition vehicle of Allied Security Trust, and Imagination Technologies with net proceeds of approximately US$7.31 per share in cash to each holder of MIPS common stock. The total value of the transaction represents a 40% premium to the closing price on April 11, 2012, the day prior to the first public rumor of a potential sale of MIPS.

Toshiba is expected to report a 10% drop in consolidated operating profit for the April-September period as a strong yen hurt sales, the Nikkei reported.

MediaTek's MT7620 Wi-Fi SoC has been selected for the new ASUS RT-N14U N300 wireless router, debuting globally this quarter.

The communications and automotive IC markets are forecast to outpace the growth of the total IC market through 2016, according to IC Insights.

ALi has acquired Abilis, a fabless semiconductor company providing RF modulators, secure media processors and broadcast-to-IP solutions, according to the Taiwan-based set-top box IC firm.

The IT & Mobile Communications division, comprising Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, IT Solutions and Digital Imaging, ended the third quarter with operating profits of KRW5.63 trillion on KRW29.92 trillion in revenue. Operating profits for the division saw 132 percent year-on-year growth.