Qualcomm dominates cellular baseband chip market in 2011

April 26, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — The global cellular baseband processor market grew 15% year-on-year in 2011, hitting $15.1 billion, shows the Strategy Analytics Handset Component Technologies (HCT) and RF and Wireless Components (RFWC) services, “Baseband Market Share Tracker: Qualcomm and Intel Together Capture 60 Percent of 2011 Baseband Revenue” report.

Smartphone demand, feature-phone competition, and new air interface technologies — such as LTE and TD-SCDMA — reshaped the market landscape for top suppliers in the cellular baseband market. The market for basebands for LTE, in unit terms, grew faster than basebands supporting any other air interface in 2011. Baseband-integrated smartphone applications processors and cellular-enabled non-handset devices — such as USB dongles, M2M, e-book readers and tablets — also significantly boosted some baseband companies.

Qualcomm, Intel, MediaTek, Texas Instruments and ST-Ericsson grabbed the top-five baseband revenue spots in 2011.

Qualcomm neared majority share in the sector, with 45% of the baseband cellular market by revenue. Qualcomm holds a dominant market position in CDMA, LTE and W-CDMA basebands. “Qualcomm is well-positioned to make significant share gains in the emerging LTE baseband market in 2012,” noted Stuart Robinson, director, Strategy Analytics Handset Component Technologies (HCT) service.

Intel took the #2 spot with 15% revenue share in 2011. Various popular products from global tier-one handset manufacturers used Intel basebands in 2011.

Broadcom and Spreadtrum baseband outgrew the overall market, in units sold and revenue. “Broadcom showed strong double-digit year-on-year growth in baseband units and revenues in 2011. The company continued to improve its product-mix. W-CDMA basebands accounted for 16 percent of its total 2011 baseband shipments, nearly doubled from 2010. On the strength of its baseband-integrated smartphone processors momentum, Broadcom’s W-CDMA baseband share will again improve dramatically in 2012,” said Sravan Kundojjala, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics.

Access the report at http://www.strategyanalytics.com/default.aspx?mod=reportabstractviewer&a0=7261. Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides market intelligence focused on opportunities and disruptive forces in the areas of automotive electronics and entertainment, broadband connected home, mobile & wireless intelligent systems, and defense. Learn more at www.strategyanalytics.com/

Visit the Semiconductors Channel of Solid State Technology!

POST A COMMENT

Easily post a comment below using your Linkedin, Twitter, Google or Facebook account. Comments won't automatically be posted to your social media accounts unless you select to share.