On this day of results from tech bellwethers, it’s worth giving a quick mention of Intel’s Q4 numbers. The chipmaker put in a quarter of strong growth, with revenue up 21%, despite the negative impact of the Thai flooding on shipments in the quarter. Growth for the year as a whole was even higher, at 24%, taking Intel’s 2011 tally to $54.0bn. The company is predicting “high single digit” growth for 2012.
Overall Intel’s results underline the unstoppable proliferation of devices taking place across the planet. The company’s comments around its numbers and outlook suggest it still sees a lot of growth to come from its PC client group, driven by ultra-thin laptops and the like. But the room for expansion is even greater in the smartphone and tablet sphere. Mobile communications accounted for only $508m of the Q4 revenue, so there surely remains a major opportunity for Intel, with such a strong brand, to increase its share in the ever-expanding mobile device market.