The Linley Group Says Mobile Processor Market Grew 60 Percent in 2011

Anticipated Growth in “Feature Phones” Will Increase Demand for Integrated Processors

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – September 11, 2012 – Due to strong growth in the mobile device market, The Linley Group, the industry's leading source for independent technology analysis of semiconductors for networking, communications, mobile, and wireless applications, estimates that the mobile processor market grew more than 60 percent in 2011. The estimate is included as part of the analyst firm’s latest report released today, “A Guide to Mobile Processors, Fourth Edition,” which details technical and market trends driving mobile processors.

The report covers application processors and integrated processors targeted for use in mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and e-readers. The analyst firm expects demand for integrated processors – those that combine an application processor with a cellular baseband – to increase due to growth in low-end and midrange smartphones.

“After a dip in demand for integrated processors, we expect growth to resume next year, with 73 percent of smartphones using an integrated processor by 2016,” said Linley Gwennap, president and principal analyst with The Linley Group. “This is due to increased demand for low-end and midrange phones, as opposed to high-end smartphones that typically rely on standalone application processors.”

The new report also details the rise in 3D graphics performance to enable better web browsing and gaming. The need for sophisticated 3D graphics drives changes in overall mobile processor design, with many chips now integrating high-performance CPU cores, along with graphics processing units (GPUs) and increased memory bandwidth. Competition is also heating up in the core space as ARM faces increased competition from Intel and Qualcomm.

Providing a uniquely thorough analysis of the mobile processor market, the report begins with chapters of background information relating to mobile technology and processors. It discusses the features and trends that impact CPU architecture, and also provides a quantitative analysis that includes market share by vendor. It then dedicates chapters to the leading vendors in the space including Broadcom, Freescale, Intel, Marvell, Nvidia, Qualcomm, Samsung, ST-Ericsson, and Texas Instruments. Subsequent chapters cover smaller vendors, including HiSilicon, MediaTek, Renesas Mobile, Rockchip, and ZiiLabs,, and analyze internal processor solutions from Apple, LG and Nokia.

Availability

“A Guide to Mobile Processors, Fourth Edition” is currently available directly from The Linley Group. For further details, including pricing and a list of included tables, visit the web site at www.linleygroup.com/mobile-processors

About The Linley Group

The Linley Group is the industry's leading source for independent technology analysis of semiconductors for networking, communications, mobile, and wireless applications. The company provides strategic consulting services, in-depth analytical reports, and Linley Tech events focused on advanced technology topics. The Linley Group is also the publisher of Microprocessor Report, the leading technical publication for unbiased analysis of high-performance processor technology. For insights on recent industry news, subscribe to the company's free email newsletters: Linley Wire, Linley on Mobile and Processor Watch.