According to the statistics of the research agency, the average price of 5G SoC of smart phones is expected to drop to $20 from the end of this year to the beginning of next year to accelerate the popularization of 5G smartphones. However, from the perspective of the sales data and sales unit price market share of smartphone AP (application processor) /SoC (system-on-chip) on the Android platform in 2021, Qualcomm and MediaTek have become the kings of the unit price market of $400 and above/ $200 and below, respectively.
Qualcomm: Stable supply and production capacity
Qualcomm, which occupies a higher market share of smartphones at a higher unit price, is more tired throughout 2021, and the biggest problem is the stability of the supply chain and the yield rate of foundry capacity. However, by improving the performance experience of chipsets in terms of computing (CPU, DSP, GPU), artificial intelligence (NPU), connectivity (4G, 5G sub-6GHz, 5G mmWave, Wi-Fi6/6E), security or gaming performance, and highly optimized RF front-end components are the key to providing advanced connectivity experiences, these have given Qualcomm a competitive advantage. In the next time, actively investing in the research and development of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus and switching to TSMC production capacity is the right way.
MediaTek: Focus on the high-end market
In terms of absolute market share, according to the previous data survey statistics, MediaTek has occupied the first position in AP application processor/SoC shipments for many consecutive quarters. However, from the perspective of the unit price of smart phone products, it is still mainly low-end. But hitting the high-end market is always the phased goal of every manufacturer, so the Tianji 8100/8000 launched at the beginning of this year can consolidate MediaTek's share in the $300-499 price range. With the flagship Tianji 9000 and the support of several major domestic mobile phone manufacturers, MediaTek should be able to impact the high-end market of more than $500.
Apple: When will 5G basebands really integrate
Judging from the recent survey data, the top ten models with the highest sales in Q4 in 2021, a number of mobile phones in Apple's 12/13 series are on the list. On the other hand, in 2021, Apple will account for 44% of the total global smartphone revenue, which shows its absolute supremacy. But perhaps there is a question that has always been puzzling, that is, why is apple's iPhone so strong that it has been slow to integrate 5G baseband into the A-series chips?
According to the newly released A15 chip, although the external 5G baseband is not used, the integration is still the Qualcomm Snapdragon X60 5G baseband, which reduces the power consumption while the 5G network signal is enhanced.
Apple's A-series chips have not been directly integrated with 5G baseband, which is largely a limited technical problem. Generally speaking, the self-developed 5G baseband is much more difficult than the development of computing-grade chips, the main difficulties are: 1, to take the lead in launching products that meet the latest standards, so the research and development time is short; 2, the design is complex; 3, the RF band compatibility is complex. In addition, the habit of delaying the launch of new technologies in their own strong products is also one of the reasons. But the good news is that by the end of 2021, Apple is achieving the results of 5G baseband self-development through the acquisition of Intel and Qualcomm technologies, so let time solve everything.