IDC data: MediaTek chips have become the choice of most Android phones in the US market, with a share of 51%

On the morning of March 2, in the US market, Qualcomm's Snapdragon series chips are usually the first choice for Android phones, but Qualcomm's dominance is also changing. According to a new report, MediaTek chips have become the most common chips in Android phones in the US market.

　　IDC reports that 51% of all Android phones sold in the United States are powered by MediaTek chips as of the fourth quarter of 2021. Qualcomm currently holds 47% of the market, while Samsung and "other" chips - such as Google Tensor - account for the remaining 2%.

　　MediaTek's market share also surged to a new No. 1 position. At the beginning of 2021, the chipmaker had only 29% of the market, but by the second quarter, that number had grown by 5%, a further 7% in the third quarter, and another 10% in the fourth quarter of last year.

　　The rapid growth is driven by mid- and low-end Android smartphones, such as the Galaxy A32 and A12, T-Mobile's customized Revvl phones, etc. These low-priced phones account for a large part of Android smartphone sales in the United States.

　　MediaTek is apparently looking to change that, too, as the chipmaker has just received certification from a major U.S. carrier for mmWave technology, the ultra-fast 5G that Verizon and other U.S. carriers are pushing. MediaTek says this means that mid-range mmWave-enabled phones will hit the U.S. later this year with MediaTek chips (rather than just high-end ones as before).

　　While the chipmaker is known for offering more affordable low-end and mid-range chips, MediaTek has also been moving further into the flagship space. The MTK Dimensity 9000 has been announced, and while it holds its own against the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the Dimensity 8000 is looking to offer faster performance than the Snapdragon 888 (last year’s Qualcomm flagship chip) for phones in the $400 to $700 price range. The Dimensity 1300 was also recently announced, offering even more performance than its popular mid-range predecessor.