News & Analysis
Comment
electronic component distributor
Diffinetely Samsung
eewiz
With Apple's latest result of 46.3B/Q' ie 64% Q-Q growth , this year their semi ...
Apple was top chip buyer in 2011, Gartner says
Dylan McGrath
1/24/2012 1:55 PM EST
SAN FRANCISCO—Apple Inc. was the leading customer of semiconductor chip vendors in 2011, driven by the ongoing success of its iPhones, iPads and MacBook Air, buying $17.3 billion worth of chips and accounting for 5.7 percent of chips purchased on a design total available market (TAM) basis, according to market research firm Gartner Inc.
According to Gartner (Stamford, Conn.) Apple ascended to the No. 1 position from the No. 3 ranking in 2010, leapfrogging Hewlett-Packard Co. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. IHS iSuppli, a competitor to Gartner, rated Apple as the top chip buyer in 2010 based on straight sales.
Gartner said leading electronic equipment manufacturers accounted for $105.6 billion of semiconductors on a design TAM basis in 2011, accounting for 35 percent of semiconductor vendors' worldwide chip revenue, up 1.8 percent from 2010, according to Gartner.
Design TAM represents the total silicon content in all products designed by a certain electronic equipment manufacturer or in a certain region, as opposed to purchasing TAM, which represents the total silicon content purchased directly by a certain electronic equipment manufacturer or in a certain region, Gartner said.
"The major growth drivers in 2011 were smartphones, media tablets and solid-state drives," said Masatsune Yamaji, principal research analyst at Gartner, in a statement. "Those companies that gained share in the smartphone market, such as Apple, Samsung Electronics and HTC, increased their semiconductor demand, while those who lost market share in this segment, such as Nokia and LG Electronics, decreased their semiconductor demand."
Within the top 10 rankings, three companies were from the Americas, three from the Asia-Pacific region, three from Japan and one from Europe, Gartner said.
DRAM prices fell dramatically in 2011, resulting in many PC vendors decreasing their total semiconductor demand, Gartner said. But the success of the MacBook Air enabled Apple to increase semiconductor chip demand even in its PC business, according to Gartner.
Yamaji said that as more brand-name companies increase their production outsourcing to original design manufacturers (ODMs) and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers, semiconductor procurement by ODMs and EMS providers are increased year to year.
"Semiconductor chip vendors must pay attention not just to the design TAM and purchasing TAM by company, but also by region," said Mr. Yamaji. "This is the key to avoiding inappropriate sales resource allocation. They must keep an eye on design-win opportunities in the U.S., while also establishing a strong distribution network in China."
According to Gartner (Stamford, Conn.) Apple ascended to the No. 1 position from the No. 3 ranking in 2010, leapfrogging Hewlett-Packard Co. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. IHS iSuppli, a competitor to Gartner, rated Apple as the top chip buyer in 2010 based on straight sales.
Gartner said leading electronic equipment manufacturers accounted for $105.6 billion of semiconductors on a design TAM basis in 2011, accounting for 35 percent of semiconductor vendors' worldwide chip revenue, up 1.8 percent from 2010, according to Gartner.
Design TAM represents the total silicon content in all products designed by a certain electronic equipment manufacturer or in a certain region, as opposed to purchasing TAM, which represents the total silicon content purchased directly by a certain electronic equipment manufacturer or in a certain region, Gartner said.
"The major growth drivers in 2011 were smartphones, media tablets and solid-state drives," said Masatsune Yamaji, principal research analyst at Gartner, in a statement. "Those companies that gained share in the smartphone market, such as Apple, Samsung Electronics and HTC, increased their semiconductor demand, while those who lost market share in this segment, such as Nokia and LG Electronics, decreased their semiconductor demand."
Within the top 10 rankings, three companies were from the Americas, three from the Asia-Pacific region, three from Japan and one from Europe, Gartner said.
DRAM prices fell dramatically in 2011, resulting in many PC vendors decreasing their total semiconductor demand, Gartner said. But the success of the MacBook Air enabled Apple to increase semiconductor chip demand even in its PC business, according to Gartner.
Yamaji said that as more brand-name companies increase their production outsourcing to original design manufacturers (ODMs) and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers, semiconductor procurement by ODMs and EMS providers are increased year to year.
"Semiconductor chip vendors must pay attention not just to the design TAM and purchasing TAM by company, but also by region," said Mr. Yamaji. "This is the key to avoiding inappropriate sales resource allocation. They must keep an eye on design-win opportunities in the U.S., while also establishing a strong distribution network in China."
|
|
|
|
|
Navigate to related information
Sanjib.Acharya
1/24/2012 2:23 PM EST
While reading the title of this article the name that came to my mind for the 2nd place was Samsung. The chart also showed Samsung and HP were not far behind Apple in 2011. Who would be at the top of this list in 2012? I think it would be Samsung again...
Sign in to Reply
electronic component distributor
5/25/2012 3:37 AM EDT
Diffinetely Samsung
Sign in to Reply
chanj
1/24/2012 3:22 PM EST
Tablet and smartphone are the primary driver of the market in 2011. The demand of these products doesn't seem to be slowing down. Samsung no doubt has the highest chance of getting to the top given their board spectrum of products. Apple could stop top the 2012 chart because iPad is still the most wanted product among teenagers.
Sign in to Reply
eewiz
1/24/2012 10:30 PM EST
With Apple's latest result of 46.3B/Q' ie 64% Q-Q growth , this year their semi consumption is going to go up by another 30% atleast. I am wondering how this will change the semi companies. i.e Does having an radically innovative company like Apple as the top consumer, Will semi companies focus more on radical innovation, instead of the normal incremental innovation?
Sign in to Reply