SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Total semiconductor unit shipments, including ICs, optoelectronics, sensor/actuator, and discrete devices, are forecast to rise 13% in 2021 to 1.13 trillion units, setting an all-time annual record, according to IC Insights. This would mark the third time semiconductor units have surpassed one trillion units in a calendar year.

Semiconductor units increased 3% in 2020. From 1978, when 32.6 billion units were shipped, through 2021, the CAGR for semiconductor units is forecast to be 8.6%, despite waning growth in semiconductor applications such as PCs and cellphones. New market drivers continue to emerge that fuel demand for more semiconductors, the firm says.

Between 2004 and 2007, semiconductor shipments broke through the 400-, 500-, and 600-billion unit levels before the global financial meltdown led to a steep decline in semiconductor shipments in 2008 and 2009. Unit growth rebounded in 2010 with a 25% increase, surpassing 700 billion devices that year. Another strong increase in 2017 (12%) lifted semiconductor unit shipments beyond the 900-billion level before the one-trillion mark was surpassed in 2018.

The largest annual unit growth rate across the 43-year span was 34% in 1984, and the second-highest growth rate was 25% in 2010. In contrast, the largest annual decline was 19% in 2001 following the dot-com bust. The global financial meltdown and ensuing recession caused semiconductor shipments to fall in both 2008 and 2009, the only time there have been consecutive years of unit shipment declines.

Total semiconductor shipments are expected to remain weighted toward O-S-D devices in 2021, with O-S-D devices forecast to account for 67% of total semiconductor shipments, compared to 33% for ICs. With 38% share, discrete devices are expected to account for the largest portion of semiconductor shipments, followed by optoelectronics (26%) and analog IC devices (18%).

Product categories forecast to see some of the strongest unit growth in 2021 are components that target network and cloud computing systems, contactless (touchless) systems, automotive electronics, including autonomous systems, and devices essential to the rollout of 5G technology applications.

PCB EAST: The original East Coast technical conference and exhibition! Returning to the Boston suburbs in June 2021! 

• Prev
• Next