Semiconductor makers see brighter '97

Article Abstract:

The overall chip market for 1996 declined 10.5%, reversing the previous three-year trend, according to World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS). The biggest culprit was the fall of DRAM prices. Memory chip sales went down 33% but microprocessors grew by 17.5%. The year was generally miserable for most companies, except Intel, because of the large inventories and the DRAM market collapse. For 1997, the forecast is more upbeat, however, as inventory levels went down due to increased consumer buying. Dataquest, a market research company, foresees a 13% growth in the global chip market in 1997 while the WSTS forecast is more conservative at 7.4% growth. Indicative of the upturn is the return to positive growth of the industry's book-to-bill ratio. By the year 2000, with the semiconductor content of electronic equipment to reach 28% and with the emergence of new markets, industry insiders are optimistic that the semiconductor industry will double its sales.

Preview of coming year, Technological forecasting, Review of past year, Business conditions, 1997 AD

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Inside PCs, synchronous DRAMs will rule

Article Abstract:

Synchronous DRAM is likely to become the memory of choice for high-end PCs. The SDRAM is particularly suited to the increasing demands of high-speed processors. Some PC makers, including Dell Computer Inc and reportedly Gateway 2000 Inc, are preparing machines with new SDRAMs in place. Hitachi America Ltd's Semiconductor and IC Div estimates that SDRAM usage in PCs will rise from its current level of 8% in 1996 to 50% in 1997. Industry migration to extended-data-out (EDO), which has always been regarded as a temporary situation, may be stifled if SDRAMs become popular soon. EDO RAM runs at about 40 MHz at the component level while SDRAM is capable of 66 MHz, 88 MHz and 100 MHz. Corporate systems are not expected to adopt SDRAM as quickly as other market segments.

Management, Usage, Industry trend, Dynamic random access memory, DRAM (Dynamic random access memory), DRAM

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