With the launch of its flagship and high-end smartphone SoCs, MediaTek is no longer the mid-tier chipset provider that we have known for years. It is taking the fight to Qualcomm and according to the latest report, was the biggest Android chipset maker in the U.S.
MediaTek Had a 48.1 Percent Market Share in the U.S. For Q4, 2021
The latest data from IDC’s quarterly mobile phone sales tracker states that MediaTek chips for Q4, 2021 had the highest market share in the U.S., making up 48.1 percent of all Android smartphones in the region. This made the company the biggest in the country, beating Qualcomm, who had a 43.9 percent market share in the same quarter. This is a stark difference compared to the previous quarter, where Qualcomm had maintained a strong lead against the competition with a 56 percent market share.
In comparison, MediaTek had a 41 percent market share. The Taiwanese chipset maker’s sales were driven by affordable handsets that include Samsung’s Galaxy A12, Galaxy A32, and the Motorola G Pure, which made up 51 percent of MediaTek devices sold in Q4. Though the company is not well-known in the U.S., it may slowly be getting traction thanks to the progress it has made with its flagship SoC, the Dimensity 9000, and its high-end SoCs, the Dimensity 8000 and Dimensity 8100.
According to benchmarks, the Dimensity 9000 is currently the fastest Android smartphone chipset in existence, beating the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200 comfortably. MediaTek’s Dimensity 8000 and Dimensity 8100 take on last year’s Snapdragon 888 and are expected to be found in more affordable Android smartphones. One key feature of the Dimensity 9000 is that it supports mmWave networks, which would be beneficial for users living in the U.S.
However, it will still take a while for consumers to gravitate from Snapdragon-powered flagships to MediaTek ones, assuming more phone makers start adopting them. Still, more competition is always a positive note since it will force Qualcomm and Samsung to churn out better silicon later this year.
News Source: PCMag
