IHS iSuppli has revised upward its growth forecast for the 2012 semiconductor market to 4.3% from the 3.3% estimated previously, citing strong ongoing consumer demand for wireless products like cellphones and media tablets.

Global semiconductor revenues are expected to reach US$324.6 billion in 2012, up from US$311.4 billion last year, according to IHS. It previously estimated revenues at US$323.2 billion, a 3.3% rise from 2011 levels.

Barring an unforeseen economic slump in world markets or grave missteps by the industry, revenues should continue to climb during the next few years, hitting approximately US$412.8 billion by 2016.

"Semiconductor revenue growth is expected to rise in 2012 compared to last year as consumers begin to believe that the global economic recovery is for real," said Len Jelinek, director and chief analyst of semiconductor manufacturing at IHS. "The biggest drivers of demand will be consumer-oriented products from the wireless semiconductor segment, such as smartphones and media tablets. The iPhone and iPad from Apple are perpetual best-sellers in their category, but a swarm of competing products will also help enlarge the total pool of offerings and thus increase sales. In particular, semiconductor suppliers can anticipate an exceptionally robust third quarter this year in preparation for strong holiday sell-through."

Meanwhile, the ultrabook platform will have only a minimal impact in driving revenues in 2012 for the massive semiconductor market, even though the long-term growth potential of the product is strong, IHS pointed out. But with the introduction of Windows 8 by Microsoft and touch-screen capability for the operating system later this year, ultrabooks will have the potential to become a key market revenue driver in 2013.

The three major areas of strength for the semiconductor industry this year will be NAND flash, logic application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) and microprocessors (MPU). The revenue increases in NAND and logic ASICs are a result of expected higher sales from tablets and smartphones, while the revenue expansion in MPUs will be driven by renewed growth in notebooks and the gradual emergence of ultrabooks.

In addition, IHS indicated that although semiconductor suppliers have reduced their inventory by 7.5% over the last six months, total inventory remains at high levels both in terms of aggregate dollar value as well as in days of inventory. As a result, the industry remains in a tenuous position, the research firm indicated. Further reductions are necessary for manufacturers to experience sustained demand, and companies must continue to monitor inventory levels closely to reduce them through the first half of the year.

The largest portion of inventory is held by IDMs. Since the end of second-quarter 2011, IDMs have reduced their inventory by only 5.4% - a minimal count when one considers that IDMs on average hold between 77-79% of finished goods inventory.

By tradition, IDMs do not reduce inventory as aggressively as fabless semiconductor companies. This is partly because IDMs have larger product portfolios, and also because IDMs believe that in good times they will be able to reduce inventory much more quickly.

Sustainable growth will not occur until the industry reduces total inventory by at least another 5%.