News & Analysis
Comment
kjdsfkjdshfkdshfvc
kjdsfkjdshfkdshfvc
At this point, you might as well count Apple out. They are no longer relevant ...
MediaTek cracks top 5 in smartphone apps CPU sales
Dylan McGrath
8/7/2012 1:19 AM EDT
SAN FRANCISCO—Global smartphone applications processor sales posted a year-over-year increase of 55 percent in the first quarter to reach $2.47 billion, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics Inc.
Qualcomm Inc. continued to lead the smartphone applications processor market in the first quarter, though its total market share slipped to 44 percent from 51 percent in the year-ago quarter, according to a report by the Strategy Analytics Handset Component Technologies service. The firm attributed Qualcomm's share loss to an expanding market size and intense competition from Broadcom Corp. and MediaTek Inc.
"Strategy Analytics believes Broadcom and MediaTek are emerging as credible threats to Qualcomm with their baseband-integrated applications processor strategy," said Sravan Kundojjala, a senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, in a statement.

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Texas Instruments Inc., Broadcom and MediaTek rounded out the top five among smartphone applications processor vendors in the first quarter, according to Strategy Analytics (Boston). MediaTek (Hsinchu, Taiwan) cracked the top five smartphone applications processor vendor list for the first time on the strength of its momentum in the sub-$200 smartphone segment in China and other emerging markets, according to Strategy Analytics.
MediaTek displaced Marvell Technology Group Ltd. in the top five in the first quarter. Marvell dropped out of top five as a result of weakening position of its primary customer, Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM), according to Strategy Analytics. Marvell’s strong TD-SCDMA smartphone applications processor shipments at China Mobile were not sufficient to offset its declining shipments at RIM, the firm said.
Qualcomm Inc. continued to lead the smartphone applications processor market in the first quarter, though its total market share slipped to 44 percent from 51 percent in the year-ago quarter, according to a report by the Strategy Analytics Handset Component Technologies service. The firm attributed Qualcomm's share loss to an expanding market size and intense competition from Broadcom Corp. and MediaTek Inc.
"Strategy Analytics believes Broadcom and MediaTek are emerging as credible threats to Qualcomm with their baseband-integrated applications processor strategy," said Sravan Kundojjala, a senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, in a statement.

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Texas Instruments Inc., Broadcom and MediaTek rounded out the top five among smartphone applications processor vendors in the first quarter, according to Strategy Analytics (Boston). MediaTek (Hsinchu, Taiwan) cracked the top five smartphone applications processor vendor list for the first time on the strength of its momentum in the sub-$200 smartphone segment in China and other emerging markets, according to Strategy Analytics.
MediaTek displaced Marvell Technology Group Ltd. in the top five in the first quarter. Marvell dropped out of top five as a result of weakening position of its primary customer, Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM), according to Strategy Analytics. Marvell’s strong TD-SCDMA smartphone applications processor shipments at China Mobile were not sufficient to offset its declining shipments at RIM, the firm said.
Navigate to related information


eewiz
8/7/2012 5:06 AM EDT
So what is order like?
1. Apple
2. Samsung
3. Qualcomm
4. TI
5. Mediatek ( Are we considering all those almost obsolete ARM11 chips as App processors?)
Sign in to Reply
dylan.mcgrath
8/7/2012 3:25 PM EDT
@eewiz- I've just added to the story a chart provided by Strategy Analytics that shows the top three smartphone processor vendors and their market share. As you can see, it's Qualcomm, Samsung, TI. #4 and #5, not shown, are Broadcom and Apple.
You mention Apple. I have an email into Strategy Analytics to find out if they count Apple's iPhone CPUs as Samsung products or Apple products. Either way, iPhone is an incredibly popular and profitable product, but accounts for only about 13 percent of smartphone market share.
Sign in to Reply
SKundojjala
8/8/2012 8:54 AM EDT
@eewiz: Top-five smartphone apps processor vendor list based on Strategy Analytics data.
1. Qualcomm
2. Samsung
3. Broadcom
4. TI
5. MediaTek
Source: Strategy Analytics Quarterly Smartphone Apps Processor Market Share Tracker
We allocate Apple's shipments to Samsung in our model. If we were to separate Apple’s shipments from Samsung, Apple would rank number two and Samsung would rank number three in the smartphone apps processor market.
MediaTek's smartphone chips (MT657x) gained strong traction in Q1 2012.
Regards,
Sravan Kundojjala,
Senior Analyst, Strategy Analytics.
Sign in to Reply
avc102938
8/30/2012 6:15 AM EDT
I am a bit confused by this. The order in this thread seems to be different from the original article. Is TI number 3? If not, are the the $ numbers correct in the original article? Thanks.
Sign in to Reply
kjdsfkjdshfkdshfvc
4/2/2013 9:55 AM EDT
At this point, you might as well count Apple out. They are no longer relevant or provide any competition or innovation.
http://bit.ly/IC4m9t
Sign in to Reply
abraxalito
8/7/2012 9:57 PM EDT
Where is Nvidia? Too busy complaining at TSMC to get any useful work done it seems.
Sign in to Reply
SKundojjala
8/8/2012 9:02 AM EDT
@abraxalito: Based on Strategy Analytics estimates, NVIDIA ranked number seven in the smartphone apps processor market in Q1 2012. The company currently has only 2 percent revenue share in the smartphone apps processor market.
However, NVIDIA continues to do well in the tablet apps processor market and ranked number two in the non-iPad tablet processor market in Q1 2012.
Regards,
Sravan Kundojjala,
Senior Analyst, Strategy Analytics.
Sign in to Reply
Helicopter
8/8/2012 5:15 AM EDT
what about Intel & AMD?
Arent they the processor gurus?
Sign in to Reply
elctrnx_lyf
8/8/2012 8:45 AM EDT
Its the mobile application processor discussion. Intel and AMD doesn't have any such kind of products.
Sign in to Reply
SKundojjala
8/8/2012 9:06 AM EDT
@Helicopter: Intel has started shipping its 32 nm-based Medfield product and had less than 1 percent share in Q1 2012. AMD currently has no share smartphones.
Regards,
Sravan Kundojjala,
Senior Analyst, Strategy Analytics.
Sign in to Reply
Helicopter
8/9/2012 5:03 AM EDT
Thanks, Looks like this is a billion unit market. are there entry barriers ?
Do you see the Goliath to take over anytime soon?
Sign in to Reply
SKundojjala
8/9/2012 6:34 AM EDT
Yes, the entry barrier is very low in the ARM-based chip ecosystem. All the technology pieces (CPU, GPU, DSP etc.) are available on license and the smartphone chip market is over-crowded.
However, capabilities such as software expertise, integration, strong OEM relationships, financial strength/ resources and product roadmap will set the best companies apart.
It's a growing market and I expect very interesting market dynamics ahead.
Regards,
Sravan Kundojjala,
Senior Analyst, Strategy Analytics.
Sign in to Reply
CooperMW
8/9/2012 2:16 PM EDT
Thank you
Sign in to Reply
sranje
8/8/2012 10:11 AM EDT
Dear Sravan,
Excellent data and additional comments - thank you.
Wouldn't data in units instead of revenues also be (more?) useful for market shares - ASPs in different segments of smartphones are quite different
Sign in to Reply
SKundojjala
8/9/2012 2:25 AM EDT
@sranje: Thanks. Yes, we do track units, revenues and ASPs on a quarterly basis for 13 smartphone chip companies across stand-alone and integrated processor categories. The rankings are slightly different (but not much) in terms of unit shipments.
Regards,
Sravan Kundojjala,
Senior Analyst, Strategy Analytics.
Sign in to Reply
Neo1
8/8/2012 11:14 PM EDT
Samsung is in a strong position vis-a-vis the mobile App processors since they got into Apple and because of their surge in smart phone shipments. Qualcomm relies on other OEMs sales, it will be interesting how it would turn out if Apple change their App processor vendor.
Sign in to Reply
Rsinkiewicz
10/31/2012 2:59 PM EDT
Please ban dklafjs as his comments are only intended to direct one to a completely unrelated site and have absolutely nothing to do with this topic.
Sign in to Reply
kjdsfkjdshfkdshfvc
5/17/2013 9:13 AM EDT
I strongly disagree sir.
http://bit.ly/IC4m9t
Sign in to Reply