© nomadsoul1 dreamstime.com
Embedded | July 05, 2013
Intel is holding Qualcomm at bay
Intel is holding Qualcomm at bay to lead the 2012 embedded processor vendor share ranking, but for how much longer?
According to findings from analyst Semicast, Intel was the largest supplier of embedded processors in 2012, just ahead of Qualcomm. Broadcom maintained its position as third largest supplier, while Samsung traded places with Texas Instruments for fourth and fifth respectively.
Embedded processing is a vast market, estimated to have been worth around USD 90 billion in 2012, or nearly one-third of the semiconductor total available market (TAM). Like the semiconductor market as a whole, revenue growth for embedded processors has stalled somewhat in recent years, totaling USD 89 billion in 2010 and USD 83 billion in 2008.
However within this slowly growing market there have been clear winners, mostly those companies with a focus on tablets and smartphones.
Although Intel has been the largest vendor of embedded processors since Semicast first presented this analysis in 2008, its lead over Qualcomm has been steadily eroded. While the statistics exclude compute CPUs, Intel is nonetheless a dominant provider of other chips for PCs, in particular motherboard chipsets, while demand for its x86 embedded processors continues to grow in markets such as communications infrastructure, set-top boxes and industrial automation.
However the big picture trend reflects changes in demand for PCs against tablets and smartphones, with Intel dominant in the former and Qualcomm in the latter. In the first quarter of 2013, industry estimates suggest shipments of PCs fell by around 15 percent year-on-year, with combined shipments of tablets and smartphones surging by almost 55 percent.
If these trends were played out across the full year, Semicast predicts that Intel would lose its position as the leading embedded processor vendor to Qualcomm in 2013. While seemingly unthinkable just a few years ago, this highlights the falling influence of the PC on the semiconductor industry and also Intel’s limited success in growing its presence in tablets and smartphones so far.
The clear winner in the vendor ranking over the last four years is Samsung, which has been propelled up the ranking by explosive growth in tablets and smartphones.
Samsung is judged to have risen from fourteenth place in 2008 to fourth in 2012 and is within striking distance of passing Broadcom for third.
Two companies which have dropped several places down the rankings are Renesas and STMicroelectronics. Both companies have historically held a strong position in the cellphone processor market, but their respective mobile operations, Renesas Mobile and ST’s joint venture with Ericsson, have not been able to keep pace with the leading players.
Colin Barnden, Principal Analyst at Semicast Research and study author, commented “Embedded processing looks set to remain a substantial but fiercely competitive market, with Chinese suppliers such as Allwinner, HiSilicon and Spreadtrum now also making their presence felt”.
2012 Embedded Processor Vendor Share Ranking
- Intel 12.1%
- Qualcomm 10.9%
- Broadcom 7.2%
- Samsung 6.5%
- Texas Instruments 5.2%
- Top 5 Total 41.9%
- Others 58.1%
- 2012 Market Size: USD 90.7 billion
Filtronic wins new UK defence contract
UK designer and manufacturer of antennas, filters and mmWave products, Filtronic plc, has won a significant contract from a new major UK defence customer for the supply of battlefield radio communications hardware valued at over GBP 1 million.
A2 Global expands with new facility in Singapore
Electronic component distribution and supply chain service provider, A2 Global Electronics, announces the opening of its new distribution facility located in the New Tech Park area of Singapore.
Sponsored content by Shenzen Kinwong Electronic
The development trend of printed circuit board products and Kinwong's solution
With the rapid development of electronic technology in recent years, printed circuit board (PCB) products are pursuing higher heat dissipation capabilities, with high voltage and high current characteristics, and are developing towards high-density interconnection technology (HDI).
Sensata acquires majority ownership of Lithium Balance
Sensata, an industrial technology company that develops sensors and sensor-based solutions, has acquired 75% of Lithium Balance based in Denmark.
Analog Devices to shutter California facility
In a WARN notice, the company says that due to changing business needs will require the company to permanently close its facility Milpitas, California.
Intelliconnect moves to larger factory as sales grow
Intelliconnect (Europe) Ltd the UK based specialist manufacturer of RF, waterproof and cryogenic connectors and cable assemblies, announces that it has moved to a larger facility at the Corby Innovation Hub following sales growth of 30% in 2020.
Ad
Qualcomm to acquire NUVIA
Qualcomm says it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire NUVIA for approximately USD 1.4 billion before working capital and other adjustments.
Advanced Energy acquires RF specialist
Advanced Energy, a provider of precision power conversion, measurement, and control solutions, has completed the acquisition of Versatile Power, a Campbell, California-based provider of radio frequency (RF) and programmable power supplies for medical and industrial applications.
Achronix to list on Nasdaq via merger with ACE Convergence
FPGA and embedded FPGA specialist, Achronix Semiconductor, has entered into a business combination agreement with special-purpose acquisition company ACE Convergence Acquisition Corp., which result in a combined entity which will continue as a publicly listed company.
iCoupler Technology Benefits Gallium Nitride (GaN) Transistors in AC/DC Designs
Highly efficient ac/dc power supplies are key to the evolution of the telecom and datacom infrastructure, as power consumption grows rapidly due to hyperscale data centers, enterprise servers, or telecom switching stations. However, the power electronics industry has reached the theoretical limit of silicon MOSFETs.
Cisco drags Acacia to court after terminated acquisition
Cisco Systems has requested a Delaware court to stop networking chip maker Acacia Communications, from backing out of the acquisition agreement the companies had entered back in 2019.
UTAC completes acquisition of Singapore wafer bumping assets
UTAC Holdings Ltd. says that its affiliate has completed its purchase of the Singapore-based wafer bumping assets from Powertech Technology (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
Onto Innovation acquires Inspectrology
Onto Innovation has acquired Inspectrology, LLC. The company, which is headquartered in Sudbury, Massachusetts, USA, is a supplier of overlay metrology for controlling lithography and etch processes in the compound semiconductor market.
Cornell Dubilier acquires capacitor division from NWL
Cornell Dubilier Electronics (CDE), has via its its subsidiary, CD Snow Hill, LLC, acquired the capacitor producing assets of NWL, Inc.
Recab expands via the acquisition of Synective_Labs
Swedish embedded specialist, Recab, is investing in FPGA and ASIC design via the acquisition the high performance embedded design company Synective Labs
Etteplan enters Denmark and acquires TekPartner
Etteplan is expanding the business in Nordics and opens up a new country, Denmark, by acquiring TekPartner, an engineering and IT company specialised in electronics and software.
UK competition authority to probe NVIDIA’s takeover of Arm
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says it is launching a formal investigation into NVIDIA's takeover of Arm later this year.
NovaCentrix teams with Bentec to push PulseForge tool sales
NovaCentrix, a provider of photonic curing tools, conductive inks, and material for development and production of printed electronic devices, has appointed David Bennett with Bentec LTD as manufacturers’ representative.
Nova to expand offices in Taiwan with new cleanroom
The metrology solutions provider celebrated its 20th anniversary with the opening of its new, expanded offices in Taiwan as part of the its strategy to strengthen field operations and local training capabilities.
After 26 years at Qualcomm – Steve Mollenkopf retires as CEO
Qualcomm’s current CEO, Steve Mollenkopf, who has been with the company for nearly three decades has announced his decision to retire from his position as CEO of the company.
What Is JESD204 and Why Should We Pay Attention to It?
A new converter interface is steadily picking up steam and looks to become the protocol of choice for future converters. This new interface, JESD204, was originally rolled out several years ago but has undergone revisions that are making it a much more attractive and efficient converter interface.
Extended Maxim franchise sales agreement strengthens Future Electronics
Electronic component distributor, Future Electronics, says it has agreed to an extension of its franchise sales agreement with Maxim Integrated Products.
Soitec looking to attract new talent – creating 100 new jobs
Semiconductor materials specialist, Soitec, is continuing its growth path and launches a company-wide job creation program called ELEVATE.
Meyer Burger receives funding to build green solar cell production
The company is looking to receive up to EUR 22.5 million in public funding to build environmentally friendly solar cell production in the city of Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany.
Load more news