Communication IC market is forecasted to overtake computer IC in 2013

IC Insights has reported Surging smartphone shipments coupled with sluggish notebook computer sales are forecast to propel the total communications IC market past the total computer IC market for the first time in history this year. Further details of analysis shared by IC Insights include: Figure 1 below shows that the communications IC market is forecast to reach $99.4 billion in 2013, $1.4 billion higher than the $98.0 billion level expected for the computer IC market (it should be noted that the forecasts in the 2013 IC Market Drivers report extend to 2016). As shown, the communications IC market is forecast to register a strong 2009-2013 CAGR of 16% as compared to only a 3% CAGR for the computer IC market over this same timeframe. The total communications IC market is composed of ICs sold to manufacturers of both “wireless” and “wired” electronic systems. In 2012, the total wireless communications IC market increased 3%, much better than the 4% decline for the total IC market. Although the wired communications IC market reached $18.2 billion in 2012 and outgrew the wireless communications IC market by three percentage points, this segment was only about one-fourth the size of the $70.1 billion 2012 wireless communications IC market. Although the total DRAM market declined by 11% in 2012, the wireless communications DRAM market increased by 14% last year. Dr...