Strategy Analytics: Q1 2018 smartphone apps processor market share: chips with on-device artificial intelligence (AI) grew three fold

• Apple, HiSilicon, Qualcomm and Samsung LSI Capitalise on AI's Take off in Smartphones
• Strategy Analytics Handset Component Technologies service report, “Smartphone Apps Processor Market Share Q1 2018: Samsung LSI and HiSilicon Register Double-digit Growth.”

August 8, 2018 - BOSTON: (BUSINESS WIRE) The global smartphone Applications Processor (AP) market declined 0.3 percent year-over-year to reach $4.5 billion in the first quarter (Q1) of 2018, according to Strategy Analytics Handset Component Technologies service report, “Smartphone Apps Processor Market Share Q1 2018: Samsung LSI and HiSilicon Register Double-digit Growth .”

According to this market research report from Strategy Analytics, Qualcomm , Apple , Samsung LSI , MediaTek and HiSilicon held the top-five revenue share spots in the global smartphone applications processor (AP) market in Q1 2018. In Q1 2018, Qualcomm maintained its smartphone AP momentum with 45 percent revenue share followed by Apple with 17 percent and Samsung LSI with 14 percent.

• Strategy Analytics estimates vertical vendors Apple, HiSilicon and Samsung LSI together captured 40 percent revenue share in Q1 2018. Despite these advances, the market leader Qualcomm improved its market share driven by broad customer relationships and a strong product line up.
• MediaTek and UNISOC ( Spreadtrum & RDA ) continues to underperform in the smartphone AP market and once again saw their shipments decline year-on-year in Q1 2018.

Sravan Kundojjala, Associate Director at Strategy Analytics, commented:

“ MediaTek lost smartphone AP market share for the fifth consecutive quarter. In Q1 2018, due to challenges in product transition and competition from Qualcomm , MediaTek’s smartphone AP shipments reached the lowest in the past four years. Strategy Analytics believes that MediaTek’s share losses are bottoming out and its renewed Helio P series chip effort has the potential to bring MediaTek back on track in the coming quarters.”

Stuart Robinson, Executive Director of the Strategy Analytics Handset Component Technologies service, added:

“Strategy Analytics estimates that smartphone APs with on-device Artificial Intelligence (AI) functionality grew almost three fold year-over-year in Q1 2018. Apple , HiSilicon , Qualcomm and Samsung LSI were the prime beneficiaries of AI’s take off in smartphone APs in Q1 2018, addressing the AI chip market with multiple approaches including dedicated AI IP blocks and repurposed DSP & GPU combination. Key AI smartphone APs include Apple A11 Bionic, HiSilicon Kirin 970, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845/835 and Samsung Exynos 9810. Strategy Analytics feels that AI’s full potential is yet to be realized in smartphones and AI will ignite the architecture innovation in smartphone APs in the coming days.”

Strategy Analytics is working with companies to help them maximize this opportunity based on their unique market position and technology strengths.