MediaTek has just announced that it has become the leading chip supplier for Android smartphones in the US. This announcement arrives along with the company’s plans for the future of its 5G chips.
This marks a major shift as Qualcomm, an American chipmaker, has been the dominant supplier for semiconductors in the smartphone market. According to an IDC report (Via PCMag), the fourth quarter of last year saw the Taiwanese company acquire a market share of 51 percent in the US for Android smartphone chips. The report adds that the company’s stellar performance can be attributed to its strong sales in smartphones that can cost under 400 US Dollars. This segment was previously dominated by Qualcomm.
On the other hand, MediaTek also announced that it has received millimeter wave certification “with a major US operator” (rumored to be Verizon) and will soon offer mid range millimeter wave smartphones in the US by the second half of this year. Notably, Verizon only offers millimeter wave for its 5G smartphones. So, the company’s new 5G chips would enable best selling mid range devices to also be included into Verizon’s list.
Furthermore, the company has also recently announced the Dimensity 8000 and Dimensity 8100 series of processors that target the mid range segment, as opposed to the Dimensity 9000, which is for premium phones. So, it remains to be seen if its new chips helps increase its market share and widen the gap between MediaTek and Qualcomm.
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