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IDC: Microprocessor unit shipments up in third quarter

Worldwide computer microprocessor unit shipments and revenues in the third calendar quarter of 2010 (3Q10) increased 2.1% and 2.5%, respectively, compared to 2Q10, according to the latest processor study from International Data Corporation (http://www.idc.com/).

Compared to 3Q09, worldwide computer microprocessor unit shipments and revenues in the third calendar quarter of 2010 (3Q10) increased 8.6% and 24.1%, respectively, says the research group. The average sequential change in unit shipments between a calendar year’s second quarter and its third quarter is an increase of 10.6%.

For revenues, the average sequential change is an increase of 9.0%. So, these increases represent lower performance than usual for a third calendar quarter.

“Market demand for processors was weak in July and in August,” says Shane Rau director of Semiconductors: Personal Computing research at IDC. “Original equipment manufacturer’s have become very reactive to any hint of slackening end demand. And, when they cut their personal computer build orders, like they did in late 2Q10 and the first half of 3Q10, not only did they cut their processor orders, they caused their contract manufacturers to cut orders for commodity components. The whole supply chain is skittish.”

Comparing market performance in 3Q10 against 2Q10 by computer form factor, mobile processor unit shipments rose 1.6% in 3Q10, server processors rose 4.1%, and desktopprocessors rose 2.4%. Comparing 3Q10 against 3Q09 by computer form factor, mobile processor unit shipments rose 13.3% in 3Q10, server processors rose 24.4%, and desktop processors rose 1.7%.

For the overall worldwide computer microprocessor market in 3Q10, Intel earned 80.4% unit market share, a loss of 0.3%, while AMD earned 19.2%, a gain of 0.2%, and VIA Technologies earned 0.4%, a gain of 0.1%.

In 3Q10 unit share by form factor, Intel earned 85.9% share in the mobile computer processor segment, a loss of 0.2%. AMD finished the quarter with 13.7% (unchanged) and VIA earned 0.4%, a gain of 0.2%. In the PC server/workstation processor segment, Intel finished with 93.7% market share, a gain of 0.2% and AMD earned 6.3%, a loss of 0.2%. In the desktop PC processor segment, Intel earned 71.8%, a loss of 0.4%; AMD earned 27.8%, a gain of 0.5%, and VIA earned 0.4%.

“We believe that the fourth quarter of 2010 will be a decent quarter,” adds Rau. “And we reiterate that the second half of the year will be seasonal given the early build for Intel’s Sandy Bridge and AMD’s Fusion architecture launches. However, year-over-year growth in the second half will be lower than that seen in the first half of the year. For 2011, we believe that, even though the consumer segment will remain stalled in developed regions, IT executives will see personal computer upgrades as a priority over the next 12 months which should result in double digit growth in personal computer systems and personal computer processors units next year.”

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