Intel widens chip share lead despite ARM rush

Intel has managed to not only hold on to but widen its lead as the world's largest chip designer in the past year, iSuppli determined Monday. By revenue, Intel had seen its revenue in 2011 go up over 20 percent to $48.7 billion dollars despite the effect of the iPad and other tablets. ARM's champion, Samsung, had moved just over half a point to $28.6 billion.

ARM's direct and indirect supporters still climbed upwards, most of all Qualcomm. Although much smaller at $10.2 billion in revenue, the rise of Android and Snapdragon processors gave it a nearly 42 percent lift over where it was a year earlier. TI, Freescale, and NVIDIA also grew, although Marvell may have been hurt by losing RIM as a customer.

Much of the boost to Intel came from its buying Infineon. The step meant it was now providing 3G chipsets for both future Intel-based phones and even many of the ARM-using companies it considers its challengers.

AMD had grown in the same period, but at $6.4 billion it was 12th on the list. Without a mobile platform expected until next year at the earliest, it currently has to rely on its successful but modest Fusion processors.

By Electronista Staff

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AMD, computers, industry, Android, NVIDIA, Samsung, Qualcomm, Infineon, ARM, mobile phones, Snapdragon, Freescale, Apple, TI, iPad, IHS iSuppli