Qualcomm Inc is preparing at add at least two new directors to its board, people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as the US smartphone chip maker looks to appease shareholders who withheld voting support for its board last March. Qualcomm has been forced to defend its track record this year after upsetting some investors by rebuffing a USD 120 billion takeover bid from rival Broadcom Inc, failing to secure Chinese regulatory approval for its USD 44 billion acquisition of NXP Semiconductors NV, and failing to resolve a longstanding patent dispute with Apple Inc. Investors expressed dissatisfaction with the company last March when most of Qualcomm's board directors, including Chief Executive Steve Mollenkopf, were elected with the voting support of less than 50 percent of the shares outstanding even though they were unopposed.