Apple tops list of semiconductor buyers

Apple was the top semiconductor buyer in the world last year, according to new research from Gartner.

Apple spent $17.3bn on semiconductors in 2011, according to Gartner. Image credit: Apple

In a report issued on Tuesday, the firm said that Apple spent $17.3bn (£14.5bn) in 2011, more than anyone else in the industry. That is a sharp rise from the $12.8bn Apple spent in 2010.

The move puts Apple on top of Samsung Electronics and HP, companies that came ahead of it in 2010's list. Gartner says Apple's jump — which was the largest among competitors — can be attributed to an overall increase in industry spending on semiconductors for smartphones, tablets and solid-state drives. In Apple's case, the company checked off all three of those with its products.