Apple reclaimed the top position among global semiconductor chip buyers in 2019, representing 8.6 percent of the total worldwide market, according to data from Gartner. Samsung dropped to the second spot with 8 percent market share and was followed by Huawei, Dell, Lenovo, BBK Electronics, HP, Xiaomi, HPE, and Hon Hai.
Overall, leading manufacturers reduced their semiconductor spend in 2019, influenced by declining memory prices. Total spending fell an estimated 11.9 percent to USD 418.3 billion worldwide.
Apple took the top rank from Samsung thanks to its success in wearable products, namely Apple Watch and AirPods. Still, its spending fell by 12.7 percent, helped by the lower memory prices. Number-two Samsung spent 21.4 percent less in 2019, at an estimated USD 33.4 billion, Gartner said. Huawei's spending was down only 1.8 percent, and the company retained the third position despite the US-China trade war.
Global uncertainty and the slowing macro-economy also had a significant impact on semiconductor buyers in 2019. Political friction including the US-China trade war, Brexit, conflict between Japan and South Korea and protests in Hong Kong increased in 2019 and slowed growth in the global economy.
Nine of the top 10 companies in 2018 remained in the top 10 in 2019, with Hon Hai replacing Kingston Technology. The top 10 OEMs decreased their share of chip spending slightly, to 39.5 percent in 2019 from 39.9 percent in 2018.
Xiaomi ranked No. 8 in 2019. Among the top 10 companies, Xiaomi was the only OEM that increased its total semiconductor spending through 2019, representing 1.4 percent growth.
