"The second quarter traditionally is the slowest period of the year in the NOR market," said Mark DeVoss, senior analyst, flash /SRAM/MCP for iSuppli (El Segundo, Calif.). "However, second-quarter revenue this year amounted to $2.13 billion, up 6 percent from $2.01 billion in the first quarter. Second-quarter revenue came in 4 percent higher than iSuppli previously had forecasted."

Second-quarter NOR flash revenue was nearly 19 percent higher than the year-ago quarter. Second-quarter unit shipments rose 10 percent sequentially and 25 percent year-over-year.

NOR market revenue was boosted by slower average selling price (ASP) declines. The total ASP for NOR flash declined by 4 percent sequentially in the second quarter, compared to an 8 percent drop the same period in 2005.

Also fueling the revenue increase was the rising number of shipments of high-density devices— greater than 64Mbits, which have larger ASPs. Second-quarter unit shipments for these densities increased by 139 percent year over year, indicating strong use of NOR not only in the memory's core market in mobile phones, but increasingly in consumer products like set-top boxes, digital televisions and automotive in-cabin electronics.

Spansion Inc. retained its lead in the global NOR flash market with sales of $655 million, up 16.5 percent from the first quarter, the highest sequential rate of increase among the top five suppliers. Company NOR sales rose nearly 40 percent year-over-year. Spansion's market share increased to 30.7 percent, up from 27.9 percent in the first quarter, widening its lead over rival Intel Corp.

iSuppli noted Monday that NAND flash sales dropped the second quarter as their average selling prices declined, while DRAM sales held firm.

By: DocMemory
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