Apple, Samsung and Huawei remained in the lead as the top original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and semiconductor buyers last year.
According to research data by Comprar Acciones, Apple was the top semiconductor buyer in 2020, spending $53.62 billion.
The tech giant’s spending increased by 24% year-on-year, giving it an 11.9% market share. Collectively, the top 10 buyers spent $188.73 billion, accounting for a 42% share of the market.
The global market saw a total of $449.84 billion spent on semiconductor purchases during 2020.
iPhone sales soar
Apple also stayed in top position due to a growing demand for its devices as the world worked remotely during the pandemic. Its performance was particularly notable during FY21 Q1 when it posted double-digit gains across all product segments.
iPhone sales shot up by 17% to $65.60 billion while services revenue rose by 24% to $15.76 billion. Mac revenue rose by 21% to $8.68 billion and iPad revenue by 41% to $8.44 billion.
On the other hand, Samsung experienced a decline of 11% in mobile sales during Q4 2020, a drop it attributed to the increased competition during the year-end season. However, it posted the highest quarterly earnings in its display segment, sending operating profit up by 26.4%.
The South Korean company posted the second highest spending on semiconductor purchases during the year, spending $36.42 billion, up by 20.4% from the year before. It boasted an 8.1% market share.
Although Huawei kept in third place, its spending dropped by 23.5% to $19.09 billion. Its ability to buy semiconductors was challenged by trade restrictions imposed by the US. This naturally led to a decrease in smartphone supply and market share.
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