Intel rival AMD has slipped up in terms of microprocessor market share, according to box-counting analysts IC Insights, with Qualcomm and Samsung leapfrogging it into second and third place respectively.
Strong sales of tablet computers and smartphones were cited for the increase in market share for the two companies - although Samsung's non-memory semiconductor operations remain highly dependent on its number one customer, Apple, for some four-fifths of its business.
AMD saw its market share drop by 21 per cent as Qualcomm and Samsung enjoyed sales increases of 28 per cent and 78 per cent respectively. Intel, meanwhile, predictably remained the runaway market leader, with a commanding 65.3 per cent market share. It suffered less acutely from the decline in the PC market, recording just a one per cent drop in sales.
However, AMD will likely see a boost this year as it introduces its own range of ARM microprocessors - aimed at the desktop and server market - while also providing the eight-core microprocessors in new games consoles from both Sony and Microsoft.
"The $56.5bn (£37.6bn) microprocessor market continued to be the largest single semiconductor product category in 2012, accounting for 22 per cent of total IC sales. However, microprocessor sales growth slowed to two per cent in 2012 following a strong 19 per cent increase in 2011. IC Insights is forecasting a ten per cent increase in total MPU [microprocessing unit] sales in 2013 to $62.0bn (£41.2bn)," claimed IC Insights in a statement.
It continued: "During 2012, strong increases in mobile application processors used in cellphones and tablet PCs offset a six per cent decline in MPU sales for desktop and notebook PCs, servers, and embedded-processor applications. Between 2012 and 2017, total MPU sales are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12 per cent, reaching $97.7bn (£64.9bn) in the final year of the forecast.
In total, Intel pulled in sales of $36.9bn (£26.3bn) in 2012, with Qualcomm a long way behind in second place with sales of $5.3bn (£3.5bn) and Samsung in third with sales of $4.66bn (£3.1bn). However, Samsung's sales figures include the Apple A-series microprocessors its foundry business makes on Apple's behalf.
All except Intel and AMD focus on making mobile microprocessors with cores licensed from ARM.
