Qualcomm will become the third largest semiconductor company in the world

According to a data from market research firm IHS iSuppli, Qualcomm’s revenue this year will grow substantially and become the third largest chip maker in the world. Second only to Intel and Samsung. IHS iSuppli also expects Qualcomm’s revenue to reach US$12.9 billion this year, up from US$10.1 billion last year.

As a leader in the semiconductor industry, Intel’s revenue this year is expected to be 47.5 billion US dollars, down 2.4% from 49 billion US dollars in 2011. With Samsung following, this year's revenue is expected to be $30.4 billion, up from $28.5 billion last year.

According to the data, Qualcomm’s revenue in the semiconductor industry grew by 27.2% in 2012, which is a result of the global semiconductor industry's declining environment. According to statistics, 7 of the world's top 10 semiconductor companies experienced a landslide in 2012. With a very rapid upward trend, Qualcomm has risen to third in the industry. Prior to this, Qualcomm was only the ninth in the industry. Behind them are AMD, Freescale, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, STMicroelectronics, Elpida, and Renesas Electronics.

According to Dale Ford, head of IHS iSuppli, this year's semiconductor market is very bad. Wireless applications alone have brought strong revenue. Consumers continue to purchase smart phones and tablet PCs, but PC products and flat-panel TVs have suffered severe impact and sales decline. Qualcomm's chips are at the heart of several cell phones, including the iPhone 5. This is an oasis for the semiconductor industry in 2012.