What They Say
Strategy Analytics published its 2021 result for the smartphone AP market and ranked Qualcomm as top in revenue (38%), but MediaTek sold 75 million more units than the US firm. Both companies had record ASPs for their chips.
- Qualcomm maintained its smartphone AP leadership with a 38 percent revenue share, followed by MediaTek and Apple with each 26 percent.
- Apple, MediaTek, Qualcomm and Unisoc gained market share while HiSilicon and Samsung LSI lost share.
- 5G-attached AP shipments grew 84 percent year-over-year, accounting for 46 percent of total smartphone APs shipped in 2021.
- Shipments of APs with on-device artificial intelligence (AI) engines crossed 900 million in 2021, roughly flat compared to 2020. However, increased shipments of mid-range APs without AI engines limited the growth.
- Top-selling Android AI APs include Snapdragon 888/888+, 765/G, 750G and 662 and Dimensity 700.
- TSMC manufactured three in four smartphone APs shipped in 2021. In addition, semiconductor foundries, including TSMC and Samsung Foundry, held up well despite supply constraints and helped the industry capture growth.
- Smartphone APs manufactured in 7 nm and below process technologies accounted for 43 percent of total smartphone AP shipments in 2021.
- Google entered the smartphone AP market in 2021 with its Pixel Tensor chip, capturing approximately 0.1 percent unit and revenue share.
What We Think
I was impressed to see that TSMC has 75% of the market for APs! (BR)
