The current state of mobile processor market sees two architectures, ARM and x86, dominating the low and high-end segments, respectively. While ARM has found its way in most handsets, x86 (primarily Intel) has a largest share in PC-like netbooks.
Other architectures, such as MIPS and SH, are equally suited to power mobile System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions and as more emphasis is placed on the OS and mobile applications, the use of a particular processor architecture or instruction set is likely to become less important, according to In-Stat.
The research company has also found that:
- Nearly 75% of all mobile processors will be multi-core in 2014, and an even higher percentage will have integrated baseband.
- The trend toward integrated baseband modems will become a critical differentiator for mobile processors over the next few years.
- Tablets represent the fastest growing market segment for mobile processors with a CAGR of 123.6% from 2009 through 2014.
- Mobile phones represent the largest opportunity for mobile processors today and for the foreseeable future.
Additional information is available from In-Stat’s report titled “Mobile Processors: The Battle Heats Up in 2011“…