Wireless chip growth outpaced the overall chip market in 2007, a study from technology researcher iSuppli said.
The study, quoted by a Reuters report, also said Qualcomm led with 24% chip revenue growth, helping it overtake Texas Instruments.
Wireless chip sales grew by 7.6 % to US$29.5 billion (€18.99 billion) in 2007 compared with a 3.3% growth rate for the overall chip market, the Reuters report, further quoting iSuppli, said.
Qualcomm increased its share of the global mobile phone chip market to 19.1% in 2007 from 16.5% in 2006 while previous leader Texas Instruments saw its market share fall to 16.7% in 2007 from 19.4% in 2006.
While Qualcomm has been seeing growth in the market for chips used in high-end phones with fast web links, TI has been losing market share to rivals such as STMicroelectronics .
STMicro jumped to third place in the wireless chip market in 2007 from fifth place in 2006, according to iSuppli which cited its 14.4% wireless revenue growth for 2007.
TI saw its wireless chip revenue fall 7.7% in 2007, while Ericsson gave work to STMicro at TI's expense. Ericsson supplies chips to Nokia and Sony Ericsson, owned by Sony Corp and Ericsson.
Germany's Infineon Technologies moved up the ranks in 2007 to No. 4 in the wireless chip market in 2007 from No. 8 in 2006 as it increased its revenue from the market by 54.3%, according to iSuppli.