????雖然2012年芯片行業下滑（或差不多持平），但隨著全球一線電子品牌增加支出，2013年全球半導體采購量或現增長。蘋果（Apple）和三星（Samsung）都爭相聲稱自己是半導體支出最高的公司。

????這是個好消息，尤其是對芯片制造商而言。據分析研究公司IHS稱，主要的原始設備制造商今年的半導體支出總額可能增加到2,652億美元，較去年的2,544億美元增長4.2%。更重要的是，到2013年底，支出預計將達到六年來的最高水平。

????半導體市場開始復蘇的同時，PC市場依然不振。實際上，PC市場還在繼續拖低周邊產品的銷售。“今年PC市場的銷售相當疲弱，”IDC計算機半導體研究副總裁謝恩?勞說。“不僅僅是PC和服務器，還包括打印機、顯示器等其他所有設備。當前的大環境是企業和個人購買仍然相當謹慎。”

????中國是全球PC發貨量第一大的市場，將繼續占據PC相關芯片支出的相當一部分，即使全球電腦市場總體看起來疲弱。

????IDC預計，這個行業將出現2-4%的增長至4-6%的下滑，但是，芯片制造商將從其他領域獲得增長。支出增長最大的部分將來自于移動領域，這一點也不奇怪。這個領域目前由蘋果和三星占據主導地位。據IHS稱，移動領域預計將占到市場總量的26%（約620億美元）。另外，無線領域預計還將成為2013年增長最快的市場，預計增幅將達到12.8%。

????這些對于芯片制造商而言都是好消息。“我們認為，現在發生在移動市場的一切只是個開始，將來會慢慢延伸到其他產品市場，”NPD Group的電視電子研究負責人保羅?加瑞說。“我們看到隨著多個行業的發展進入平臺期，芯片制造商的日子變得相當艱難。PC和電視行業的銷售日漸萎縮給芯片制造商帶來了很大沖擊。”

????移動和平板電腦設備的出現讓情況開始發生改變。“情況正在好轉，但它意味著新的格局正在形成。對于一些芯片制造商而言，一旦離開，那就徹底出局了，”加瑞說。“這些芯片制造商遲早都會意識到，它們已遠遠落后于市場，它們對此幾乎無能為力，必須尋找其他細分市場，或者另辟蹊徑。一些制造商正在積極尋求這塊業務能否持續盈利，或者正在悄悄尋找出路。”

????除了居首的蘋果和三星，排在前列的公司還包括惠普（Hewlett-Packard）、聯想（Lenovo）、索尼（Sony）、戴爾（Dell）、思科（Cisco Systems）、松下（Panasonic）、東芝（Toshiba）和華碩（Asustek Computer）等。其中有些公司既是芯片制造商也是芯片銷售商，有些公司的支出在上升，有些在下降。“戴爾和索尼都在縮減芯片支出，支出基本上持平，”IHS的半導體支出和設計活動高級分析師梅森?羅伯特-布魯斯說。“聯想未來的表現會相當出色，它們能向其他平臺多元化發展。依賴電腦平臺的惠普今年縮減了8%，狀況艱難。”（財富中文網）?

????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."?