The global smartphone applications processor (AP) market climbed 41% on year to US$18 billion in 2013, while the market for tablet APs grew 32% to US$3.6 billion, according to Strategy Analytics.

　　In the smartphone AP sector, Qualcomm widened its lead with a 54% revenue share in 2013, followed by Apple with a 16% share and MediaTek with 10%, Strategy Analytics said. The remainders of the top-five were rounded out by Samsung Electronics and Spreadtrum Communications.

　　"Qualcomm widened its lead over competition in the smartphone applications processor market in 2013, thanks to its LTE-integrated Snapdragon chips and strong execution. Strategy Analytics believes that Qualcomm's multi-mode LTE technology coupled with its in-house CPU, GPU and DSP technologies made Qualcomm a force to reckon with in the mobile processor market," noted Strategy Analytics senior analyst Sravan Kundojjala.

　　Stuart Robinson, director of Strategy Analytics' handset component technologies service, indicated that "Strategy Analytics estimates that low-cost suppliers MediaTek and Spreadtrum registered significant growth and together captured about one-third volume share in the smartphone applications processor market in 2013. Strategy Analytics asserts that MediaTek and Spreadtrum will have to focus on high-end LTE and global markets for further growth."

　　Strategy Analytics revealed that Apple, Qualcomm, Samsung, Intel and MediaTek held the top-five revenue share spots in the tablet AP market in 2013. Apple held a 37% share, followed by Qualcomm with 11% and Samsung with 10%.

　　"Intel, Marvell, MediaTek, Qualcomm and Samsung all made progress in tablets in 2013 and registered significant growth in shipments. Qualcomm scored multiple high-profile tablet design-wins in 2013 and captured the top revenue share spot in non-iPad tablets in 2013," Robinsin suggested.

　　Meanwhile, China- and Taiwan-based low-cost tablet AP suppliers including Actions Semiconductor, Allwinner, MediaTek and Rockchip among others cumulatively accounted for one-third volume share in 2013, Kundojjala observed. "The barrier to entry is quite low in tablet applications processors compared to smartphone applications processors market, thanks to low cellular attach rates in tablets which avoids the requirement for baseband expertise."