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DECEMBER 11, 2002 RELEASE

Release

Consumer Markets to Drive Future IC Industry Growth
IC Insights' New Emerging IC Markets Report Details Forecast

Scottsdale, Arizona --- December 11, 2002 --- Of the six major IC end-use application categories (automotive, communications, computer, consumer, industrial, and government/military), IC Insights believes the consumer segment will drive IC market growth the most during the next five years. Consumer electronic systems include products such as digital TVs, DVD players, video game consoles, smartcards, and digital cameras.

The worldwide total consumer IC market history and forecast from 1996-2006 is shown in the chart below. In 2000, the consumer IC market grew to a record high of almost $25 billion, surpassing the previous all-time high set in 1995 ($19.6 billion). IC Insights forecasts that the 2001 through 2006 annual growth rate in the consumer IC market will be 12 percent, much greater than overall IC industry growth rate during this same timeframe (7 percent).

As shown in the chart, the worldwide consumer IC market was only $14.2 billion in 1998. In 2000, only two years later, the consumer IC market was 73 percent greater. In fact, the consumer IC market was the fastest growing end-use segment in 2000, even surpassing the growth rate registered in the telecommunications “bubble” IC market that year! IC Insights forecasts that in 2004, the peak of the next IC industry cycle, the consumer IC market will be 80 percent greater than in 2001.

The consumer IC market is expected to be one of the few bright spots in the 2002 IC industry. It is forecast to grow 10 percent in 2002, much better than the 2 percent growth rate expected for the worldwide IC market.

Although Japan has traditionally held the largest share of the consumer IC market, the ROW region (mostly Asia-Pacific countries like Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, and China) is forecast to become the largest consumer IC market beginning in 2004. It is interesting to note that Japan and the ROW region are forecast to hold 83 percent of the total consumer IC market in 2006, up from 79 percent in 2002.

For further information on the consumer IC market forecast, contact IC Insights about its new Emerging IC Markets report.

About IC Insights

IC Insights, Inc., based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is dedicated to providing high-quality, cost-effective market research for the integrated circuit industry. Founded in 1997, IC Insights offers coverage of global economic trends, IC market forecasts, capital spending and fab capacity trends, product market details, and technology trends, as well as complete IC company profiles and evaluations of emerging markets for ICs.