Research forecasts good times ahead for semiconductor sector

The semiconductor industry is once again booming, according to the latest figures from market analyst Dataquest and the Semiconductor Industry Association.

The semiconductor industry is once again booming, according to the latest figures from market analyst Dataquest and the Semiconductor Industry Association.

The results will come as a relief to resellers after a disastrous 1998, when oversupply into the channel led to falling prices and falling margins on stock.

According to Dataquest, turnover surpassed $160bn (£100bn) for 1999, an increase of 17.6 per cent over 1998.

Meanwhile, chip maker Transmeta will reveal its range of software-based "smart" Crusoe processors for mobile devices next week.

Five years in the making, the Risc-based line is expected to take on well-established desktop, notebook and embedded chip makers such as Intel, Motorola, AMD, NEC and LSI Logic.

Sources close to Transmeta said Crusoe is able to run Intel x86 code, or almost any operating system and application code, through an emulation technique.