Intel increases global microprocessor market share

According to figures released by IHS iSuppli Computer Systems, Intel's closest rival, Advanced Micro Devices, suffered a corresponding 1.1% point decrease in share during the same period. IHS cites a recovery in the pc market and strong shipments of its Sandy Bridge chips as the main driver behind Intel's growth. The analyst adds that strong corporate pc sales were particularly beneficial to Intel as the enterprise computing segment has been outperforming the consumer market. The Sandy Bridge line integrates graphics as part of the processor package, and is targeted at corporate and consumer markets across desktop and notebook pc platforms. After contracting on a sequential and annual basis during the ?rst three months of the year, the global pc market returned to growth in the second quarter, with total shipments of 85.6million units, up 3.7% from 82.6m during the same period in 2010. This contributed to a 10% year over year rise in global microprocessor revenue in the second quarter. Global microprocessor revenue in the second quarter of 2011 amounted to $10.8billion, up from $9.8bn the same time a year ago. IHS analyst, Matthew Wilkins, said: "While Intel was the star of the microprocessor market on a year over year basis, AMD's second quarter performance appears better when using a sequential comparison. AMD's share of the microprocessor revenue in the second quarter rose to 10.4%, up 0.3% from 10.1% in the ?rst quarter. This compares to Intel's 0.7% point decline from 82.6% in the ?rst quarter. AMD's strong increase in shipments of its Fusion microprocessors helped the company to halt the sequential decrease in shipments that it has suffered for the last three quarters." According to Wilkins, AMDs' results were powered up by Fusion microprocessors. The company also provides pcs with DirectX 11 graphics capability without the need for a discrete graphics card.