As global smartphone sales continue recovering, intense competition is unfolding between semiconductor vendors MediaTek and Qualcomm in powering the world’s mobile devices.
The latest data from Canalys shows MediaTek led overall smartphone shipment share in Q4 2023 at 22%, with strong traction among major Chinese brands like OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi. However, Qualcomm remains the revenue leader with a 40% share, retaining a solid position supplying premium chips to Samsung and other Android flagships.
The two companies are making diverging bets for 5G dominance. MediaTek has focused on affordability for mid-range and budget 5G devices, while Qualcomm aims to differentiate through cutting-edge performance and leading-edge process nodes for premium models.
Operating distantly behind in the smartphone processor market are Samsung’s Exynos line and UNISOC, powering devices primarily for their respective affiliated brands. Apple’s vertically-integrated strategy continues paying off as well, representing nearly a quarter of global smartphone semiconductor revenue.
As advancements like foldables, AR, and mmWave 5G shift to more affordable tiers, the battle between MediaTek’s cost-optimised approach and Qualcomm’s performance-leading technique could further intensify in coming years.
