Intel rules chip mkt with 15.6 p.c. mkt share

SAN FRANCISCO, USA: Intel has retained its top position with its highest share in the overall chip market in more than 10 years.

According to market research firm, HIS iSuppli, Intel accounted for 15.6 per cent of the overall semiconductor market in 2011.

Apart from the sales of its core chips, the acquisition of Infineon AG's wireless chip business unit helped Intel maintain its position in the chip market, reports Dylan McGrath of EETimes.

HIS iSuppli, issued a preliminary report on the 2011 chip vendors rankings last December. In 2010, the overall market share of Intel was 13.1 per cent and now in 2011, the market share was 15.6 per cent.

"Intel in 2011 captured the headlines with its major surge in growth. The company's rise was spurred by soaring demand for its PC-oriented microprocessors, and for its NAND flash memory used in consumer and wireless products,''  said Dale Ford, head of electronics and semiconductor research for HIS.

IHS said the chip market grew by a paltry 1.3 per cent in 2011, down from an earlier estimate by the firm of 1.9 per cent growth. A sequential decline of 5.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2011 pulled the full-year results down, IHS said.