#Apple to be #1 OEM Chip Buyer by 2012, After #HP, #Samsung

Hewlett Packard remains the #1 buyer of semiconductor chips, but Samsung will slip to #3 behind Apple by 2011 and by 2012 Apple could overtake HP to become #1, according to iSuppli. Look for HP to play catch-up ball in 2011 by linking its WebOS, PC, Hurricane tablet and Palm phone in like manner to Apple's OS, Mac, iPad and iPhone, with Samsung, Sony and a dozen others doing the same by 2012. R.C.J.


iSuppli’s 2010 and 2011 forecast for the top 10 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) ranked by projected 2011 semiconductor spending, measuring both direct and indirect purchases.

Here is what iSuppli says about its own study: The phenomenal success of the iPad and iPhone is expected to make Apple Inc. the world’s second-largest OEM semiconductor buyer in 2011, potentially positioning the company to become the world’s top chip purchaser in 2012, according to iSuppli Corp. With projected semiconductor spending in 2011 of $16.2 billion, Apple will leap over Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., which will drop to the third spot after finishing with $13.9 billion. Apple’s one-step rise in the rankings will move the company to a close second place behind Hewlett-Packard Co., which will retain its No. 1 ranking next year thanks to $17.1 billion in spending. The attached figure shows iSuppli’s 2010 and 2011 forecast for the top 10 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) ranked by projected 2011 semiconductor spending, measuring both direct and indirect purchases...
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