Console Chip Market Forecast to Grow

A report released today by market research firm Dataquest indicates that shipments of 16-, 32-, and 64-bit microprocessors and microcontrollers grew by over 300 percent in 1996.

According to Dataquest, shipments of these chips reached 51.6 million units in 1996. Dataquest forecasts use of these chips in consumer electronics will grow by 50 percent and reach 150 million units by 2001.

Today, consumer products using the chips include direct broadcast satellite (DBS) boxes, digital cameras, camcorders, DVD players, and 32- and 64-bit video game systems. Over 56 percent of 16-, 32-, and 64-bit microchips shipped in 1996 went into video game players.

Huge sales of Nintendo 64 and PlayStation systems allowed MIPS architecture to nab 33 percent of the market with over 17 million chip unit shipments. SH processor shipments (which are included in Sega's Saturn, among others) placed with a 26 percent share with 13.7 million chip unit shipments.