Intel, MediaTek gain LTE baseband share cutting into Qualcomm’s lead

Baseband market in 2016Intel, MediaTek and Spreadtrum have gained share in the global LTE baseband market cutting into Qualcomm’s lead in 2016, according to Strategy Analytics Baseband Market Share Tracker 2016.

LTE basebands registered 36 percent growth in 2016, while all other baseband segments declined sharply.
Baseband Market share in 2016Intel, MediaTek and Spreadtrum gained LTE market share with the help of high volume key design-wins and posed a challenge to Qualcomm’s LTE lead in 2016.

Qualcomm’s LTE unit share dropped to 52 percent in 2016 from 65 percent in 2015. Qualcomm couldn’t retain 100 percent baseband share in share in Apple’s new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus devices and lost some LTE baseband volume to Intel.

Qualcomm continues to be the technology and market share leader in the baseband market and announced the world’s first gigabit-class LTE baseband chip and 5G baseband chip in 2016.
Smartphone AP Market 2016“Despite share losses, Qualcomm managed an impressive 8 percent year-over-year growth in its LTE shipments, thanks to strong traction for its Snapdragon applications processor line up,” said Sravan Kundojjala, associate director at Strategy Analytics.

Qualcomm has maintained its baseband leadership with 50 percent revenue share in 2016.

MediaTek has 24 percent revenue share and Samsung LSI has 10 percent revenue share.

Qualcomm, MediaTek, Samsung LSI, Spreadtrum and HiSilicon grabbed the top-five baseband revenue share spots in 2016. Cellular baseband processor market grew 5 percent to $22.3 billion in 2016.

MediaTek continued its LTE share gains in 2016 and more than doubled its LTE baseband shipments.

MediaTek’s Helio P and non-Helio mid-range and entry-tier LTE products all gained good traction in emerging markets.

In 2016, MediaTek made inroads at Samsung Mobile. Samsung accounted for 1 percent of MediaTek’s total LTE shipments.

“Despite impressive performance in 2016, MediaTek is likely to face challenges in 2017, owing to slow modem roadmap progress,” said Stuart Robinson, executive director of the Strategy Analytics Handset Component Technologies service.

Intel’s LTE baseband shipments quadrupled in 2016, helped by Apple iPhone design-wins. Intel holds a bigger share of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus volumes than Qualcomm.

“HiSilicon, Samsung LSI, and Spreadtrum also registered strong LTE shipment growth in 2016,” said Christopher Taylor, director of the Strategy Analytics RF & Wireless Components service.