2011 global pc microprocessor revenues up 13.2% on last year

IDC reports that pc microprocessor revenues for the year 2011 compared to 2010 rose 13.2% to more than $41bn. "The average selling price (ASP) that OEMs pay for pc microprocessors rose more than 9% in 2011, making 2011 the second consecutive year of notable ASP increases," said Shane Rau, director of Semiconductors: Personal Computing research at IDC. Compared to 2010, overall processing unit shipments in 2011 grew 3.6%. By form factor, mobile pc processor unit shipments grew 3.9%, while x86 server processor unit shipments grew 9% and desktop processor unit shipments grew 2.7%. According to IDC, in Q4 2011, Intel earned 80.3% overall worldwide unit market share - a gain of 0.1% compared to the previous quarter; AMD earned 19.6% market share – a sequential loss of 0.1%; and VIA Technologies earned 0.1% share – representing no change. For the full year 2011, Intel earned 80.1% overall worldwide unit market share – a year on year loss of 0.6%; AMD earned 19.7% - a 0.7% gain on a year earlier; and VIA Technologies earned 0.2% - a loss of 0.1% on 2010. IDC's forecast for pc microprocessor unit shipment growth in 2012 is 5.1%. Since the end of 2011 and through the first quarter of 2012 so far, IDC observes that the hard disc drive shortage that caused pc OEMs to cut back on advanced purchases of pc microprocessors has improved. IDC says it not believes that the HDD shortage will not be a significant factor in pc shipments in Q2 2012. Combined with improving job growth in the US and stabilisation of sovereign debt issues in Europe IDC may raise this growth rate modestly after the close of Q1 2012.