Apple Has Become The World's Largest Chip Buyer
No other company buys more semiconductors than Apple.
According to iSuppli, Apple purchased chips for $17.5 billion in 2010, which represents an 80% increase from $9.7 billion in 2009. The growth was strong enough to surpass HP as well as Samsung last year.
The main reasons for the massive growth is Apple's success in the smartphone and tablet space, which requires the company to purchase huge amounts of flash memory. iSuppli believes that Apple will continue to grow - and continue to outgrow other chip buyers. 61% of Apple's chip purchases in 2010 were related to the iPhone, iPad and iPod. In comparison, HP spent 82% of its chip purchases on desktop, server and notebook products.
HP is estimated to have spent $15.1 billion on semiconductors in 2010. iSuppli believes that HP's spending will contract in 2011, while Apple's spending will exceed $22 billion this year and top HP's spending by about $7.5 billion.
Then I'd be worried.
Your implication is that Apple is one of the few computer manufacturers who does not produce their own CPU's. The only companies up there who even come close to producing most of their hardware are: Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, and Panasonic. Samsung being the top dog in that they have their hands in everything and are very diverse. Dell is the biggest joke up there, especially when Michael Dell tells us how Dell computers are all American and then outsources because he says American workers are lazy and lack talent.
LOL. You're all like, "Others don't make their own hardware, just like Apple." Expect for the four you listed. The funny thing is, every company you mentioned does not call their products "magical, revolutionary" and have others build EVERY FRIGGIN component that goes into the final product. This is what Apple does. I think it's akin to lying.