(iTers News) - Qualcomm, Spreadtrum, and MediaTek prove the top three best-performing fabless chip makers in 2013 riding on the back of booming demand for smart phones. What the  three fabless chipmaker have in common is that the three chip makers have key technology building blocks to power smart phones, including base band modem chips and application processors.

Powered by Snapdragon system-on-chip, or SoC platform, Qualcomm chalked up US$ 17.2 billion in its chip sales, up 31% from a year ago, according to market research firm IC Insights.

MediaTek of Taiwan sold US$45.87 billion worth of chips in 2013, 36% up from a year ago, while Spreadtrum of China clocked chip sales of US$1.07 billion, 48% up from a year.

Combined, these three companies increased their sales from US$17.3 billion in 2012 to US$22.9 billion in 2013, an increase of US$5.6 billion, which was just US$0.2 billion less than the US$5.8 billion total fabless IC supplier increase in 2013.

IC Insights also noted that fabless IC suppliers collectively represented just over 29% of worldwide IC sales

Also noteworthy is Taiwanese and Chinese chip makers’ rise in the world’s top 25 fabless chip maker ranking. Five Taiwanese and two Chinese fabless chip makers joined the top-25 fabless company listing in 2013. IC Insights expects an increasing number of Taiwan- and China-headquartered companies to make their way up the top fabless supplier ranking, as China will keep growing as the world’s largest production base for consumer electronics and IT products.   

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(Credit: IC Insights)