The current global economic slump will be felt broadly across all semiconductor end-use market segments, reports In-Stat. This slump is unlike the 2001 downturn that was demand-driven and more strongly felt in some segments than in others.


“The automotive segment is expected to experience a 22.7 percent revenue decline in 2009 because of the price sensitivity of consumers and the lack of available credit for many potential buyers,” says Jim McGregor, In-Stat analyst. “The consumer segment is also expected to lag the overall semiconductor market in 2009 as consumers cut spending, but the consumer segment should recover relatively quickly due to declining prices and consumers’ willingness to spend a few hundred dollars for communications and entertainment devices while still deferring larger-priced purchases. Beginning in 2010, the consumer segment should begin growing as an overall percentage of the semiconductor market once again, reaching 21.4 in 2013.”

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

  • Long term, the computer segment will lose share while the consumer and automotive segments gain share.
  • The computer segment will remain the largest well beyond 2013 at 40.7 percent of total semiconductor revenue.
  • Total semiconductor revenue is expected to drop by 19.6 percent in 2009, but should eclipse 2008 revenue at $265.9 B in 2012.

The research, “Global Semiconductor End-use Forecast: Is Anyone Buying?,” covers the worldwide market for semiconductors. It includes:

  • Worldwide semiconductor unit, average selling price (ASP) and revenue forecasts
  • Worldwide semiconductor revenue forecasts by end-use market segments broken out by region and by major WSTS product category
  • Regional semiconductor revenue forecasts broken out by major end-use category
  • Semiconductor major product category forecasts broken out by end-use market segments