The global smartphone applications processor (AP) market grew 26 percent to reach $8.9 billion in the second quarter (Q2) this year.
According to Strategy Analytics, Qualcomm maintained its lead in the smartphone AP market with a 40 percent revenue share, followed by MediaTek with 26 percent and Apple with 25.5 percent.
5G-attached AP shipments accounted for 55 percent of total smartphone APs shipped in Q2 2022.
TSMC manufactured over 80 percent of smartphone APs shipped in Q2 2022.
Samsung Foundry’s key customer Qualcomm shifted orders to TSMC in recent quarters.
“Qualcomm’s smartphone apps processor (AP) revenue grew 41 percent despite a 23 percent shipment decline. Qualcomm’s momentum in premium-tier Android APs helped,” said Sravan Kundojjala, Director of Handset Component Technologies service at Strategy Analytics.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 design win fueled Qualcomm’s AP average selling prices (ASPs) to an all-time high.
“Despite traction in the premium tier, Qualcomm will likely face inventory correction headwinds in 2H 2022. Samsung LSI’ Exynos smartphone AP shipments declined 46 percent year-on-year but showed signs of recovery with traction in mid-range,” said Kundojjala.
MediaTek posted its all-time high quarterly AP revenue in Q2 2022, driven by a high mix of high-end and premium tier Dimensity 5G APs.
The company, however, will see a decline in its AP shipments and revenues in the second half of 2022 “due to continued Android weakness in China”.
Unisoc, on the other hand, posted a 26 percent shipment growth in Q2 2022, thanks to continued traction in tier-one 4G smartphones,” Kundojjala said.
