PC行业黯淡难阻芯片制造商信心高涨

    虽然2012年芯片行业下滑（或差不多持平），但随着全球一线电子品牌增加支出，2013年全球半导体采购量或现增长。苹果（Apple）和三星（Samsung）都争相声称自己是半导体支出最高的公司。

    这是个好消息，尤其是对芯片制造商而言。据分析研究公司IHS称，主要的原始设备制造商今年的半导体支出总额可能增加到2,652亿美元，较去年的2,544亿美元增长4.2%。更重要的是，到2013年底，支出预计将达到六年来的最高水平。

    半导体市场开始复苏的同时，PC市场依然不振。实际上，PC市场还在继续拖低周边产品的销售。“今年PC市场的销售相当疲弱，”IDC计算机半导体研究副总裁谢恩•劳说。“不仅仅是PC和服务器，还包括打印机、显示器等其他所有设备。当前的大环境是企业和个人购买仍然相当谨慎。”

    中国是全球PC发货量第一大的市场，将继续占据PC相关芯片支出的相当一部分，即使全球电脑市场总体看起来疲弱。

    IDC预计，这个行业将出现2-4%的增长至4-6%的下滑，但是，芯片制造商将从其他领域获得增长。支出增长最大的部分将来自于移动领域，这一点也不奇怪。这个领域目前由苹果和三星占据主导地位。据IHS称，移动领域预计将占到市场总量的26%（约620亿美元）。另外，无线领域预计还将成为2013年增长最快的市场，预计增幅将达到12.8%。

    这些对于芯片制造商而言都是好消息。“我们认为，现在发生在移动市场的一切只是个开始，将来会慢慢延伸到其他产品市场，”NPD Group的电视电子研究负责人保罗•加瑞说。“我们看到随着多个行业的发展进入平台期，芯片制造商的日子变得相当艰难。PC和电视行业的销售日渐萎缩给芯片制造商带来了很大冲击。”

    移动和平板电脑设备的出现让情况开始发生改变。“情况正在好转，但它意味着新的格局正在形成。对于一些芯片制造商而言，一旦离开，那就彻底出局了，”加瑞说。“这些芯片制造商迟早都会意识到，它们已远远落后于市场，它们对此几乎无能为力，必须寻找其他细分市场，或者另辟蹊径。一些制造商正在积极寻求这块业务能否持续盈利，或者正在悄悄寻找出路。”

    除了居首的苹果和三星，排在前列的公司还包括惠普（Hewlett-Packard）、联想（Lenovo）、索尼（Sony）、戴尔（Dell）、思科（Cisco Systems）、松下（Panasonic）、东芝（Toshiba）和华硕（Asustek Computer）等。其中有些公司既是芯片制造商也是芯片销售商，有些公司的支出在上升，有些在下降。“戴尔和索尼都在缩减芯片支出，支出基本上持平，”IHS的半导体支出和设计活动高级分析师梅森•罗伯特-布鲁斯说。“联想未来的表现会相当出色，它们能向其他平台多元化发展。依赖电脑平台的惠普今年缩减了8%，状况艰难。”（财富中文网） 

    While the chips were down -- or rather flat -- in 2012, the global purchasing of semiconductors could see growth in 2013 as the world's top electronic brands ramp up spending. Apple and Samsung are now contending to claim the title of biggest spender.

    That is good news for chipmakers in particular. The total market for semiconductor spending by major original equipment manufacturers could rise to $265.2 billion this year, up 4.2% from $254.4 billion last year according to analytics provider IHS. More importantly spending by the end of 2013 is forecast to be at the highest level in six years.

    The market recovery comes even as the PC sector continues to lag. In fact, the PC market still continues to drag down other products with it. "It is a pretty weak year for chip sales in the PC sector," says Shane Rau, research vice president for computing semiconductors at IDC. "It isn't just PCs and servers, but all the other devices such as printers and monitors. The big story is that people are still being careful about their corporate and personal purchases."

    China, which is now the world's biggest market for PC shipments, will continue to account for a significant portion of the PC-related chip spending even as the overall global computer market looks soft.

    IDC is forecasting low single-digit growth to a mid-single-digit decline in this sector, however chipmakers could see growth from other areas. The greatest share of the spending will, not surprisingly, come from mobile. This is where Apple (AAPL) and Samsung currently dominate. According to IHS. wireless alone is forecast to account for 26% -- approximately $62 billion -- of the total market. Moreover wireless is also expected to be the highest growth market in 2013 with a projected expansion of 12.8%.

    For chipmakers there is good news in all this. "What we are seeing is what happens now happens first in mobile and trickles down to other products," says Paul Gray, director of TV electronics research at NPD Group. "What we've seen is that things have gotten very difficult for chipmakers as industries plateaued off a bit. There has been a general shaking out as the PC and TV industries began to peter out with sales."

    Things are beginning to turn around, thanks to mobile and tablet devices. "Things are flowering again, but it means a new landscape, and for some chipmakers once you are out you stay out," Gray says. "Sooner or later the realization dawns on those chipmakers that they are so far behind in the market that there is little they can do, and they have to find other niches or look at something else. Some makers are aggressively looking at whether there is a sustainable profit in this business or quietly finding a way out of it."

    While Apple and Samsung will top rankings, the roster of companies will also include Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Lenovo, Sony (SNE), Dell (DELL), Cisco Systems (CSCO), Panasonic, Toshiba, and Asustek Computer. Some of these companies are thus also both chipmakers and chip vendors, and some of these companies are up, some down. "Dell and Sony are declining in chip spending, which is essentially flat," says Myson Robles-Bruce, senior analyst for semiconductor spend & design activity at IHS. "Lenovo will do very well as they've been able to diversify to other platforms, but HP is down by 8% this year and is struggling because of dependence on computer platforms."