TSMC Surpasses Intel as World's Largest Chip Maker

Not quite a changing of the guard

You can't drive two miles without seeing at least half a dozen people with a smartphone wedged up
against their ear or down in front of them as they fire off a text message, some of which do so while behind the wheel. And if not wielding a smartphone, many people at this point own a tablet. Mobile is where it's at right now, and it explains why TSMC is now making more money from semiconductor chips than Intel.

TSMC sold $11.98 billion worth of semiconductors in the second quarter of 2013, edging out Intel, which sold $11.79 billion in the same time frame, Fudzilla reports. The news and rumor site says it pulled its data from market research firm IC Insights.

Things figure to get even better for TSMC as it upgrades its four 8-inch wafer plants to supply parts for the wearable device market. IC Insights believes the global semiconductor market will be worth $271 billion this year, with wafer foundries accounting for more than 16 percent.

Intel isn't sitting idly by, mind you. The Santa Clara chip maker is forging ahead with Bay Trail T, and though TSMC took a small lead in chip sales, Intel's revenue and profits are more impressive. TSMC's total sales revenue reached $17.1 billion in 2012, versus Intel's reported full year revenue of $53.3 billion.

Image Credit: TSMC