Samsung’s semiconductor business is closing the gap with Intel

Samsung Electronics narrowed the gap with Intel in the global semiconductor market to 1.6 percent during the second quarter of this year, which is the lowest ever. According to market research firm IHS iSuppli on Aug. 27, Samsung turned over US$10.366 billion in Q2 2015, representing 12.0 percent of the global semiconductor market, including the fields of memory and non-memory semiconductors. Intel, the world’s largest semiconductor chip maker, posted US$11.797 billion in sales, comprising 13.6 percent of the market. The gap between the two companies is 1.6 percent, and it is the first time that the gap is in the 1 percent range. The gap has decreased, as shown by 6.9 percent in 2011, 6.0 percent in 2012, 4.3 percent in 2013, and 3.4 percent in 2014. The figure for Q1 2015 was 2.1 percent, and the gap has been narrowed further to the 1 percent level. The Korean tech giant also surpassed US$10 billion in sales for the first time, becoming the second semiconductor company that exceeded the number after Intel.