Semiconductor content in electronic systems reached 33.2% last year, surpassing the previous record high set in 2018, according to IC Insights.

Historically, the driving force behind the higher average annual growth rate of the semiconductor industry as compared to the electronic systems market is the increasing value or content of semiconductors used in electronic systems. With global unit shipment growth rates of cellphones, automobiles, and PCs showing maturity and slowing over the past decade, the disparity between the 3.5% 2011-2021 CAGR registered in the electronic systems market and 6.5% 2011-2021 CAGR displayed by the semiconductor market is directly due to the increasing content and value of semiconductors in electronic systems, IC Insights noted.

The first year on record that showed an increase in semiconductor content in electronic systems during a year when the semiconductor market declined was 2009, IC Insights indicated. This situation repeated itself once again in 2015, when the total semiconductor market slipped 1% but the semiconductor content figure rose to 24.8% from 24.5% in 2014.

Prior to 2017, 2010 had marked the all-time high for semiconductor content in electronic systems at 25.9%, IC Insights said. That mark was easily surpassed in 2017 with a 28.9% figure. Semiconductor content took another big jump in 2018 and set a new high at 31.1%, IC Insights indicated.

Driven by a 25% increase in semiconductor sales last year, semiconductor content in electronic systems reached a new all-time high of 33.2% in 2021, IC Insights said.

By DIGITIMES