[Semiconductor_Fabless] Mediatek:Taiwan's Fabless. Aspiring to Become a Powerhouse in SoC APs

 

Mediatek

[Posting: 2025.05.01]

Taiwan’s fabless company MediaTek was spun off from UMC in 1997 and has gained prominence in the premium mobile market with the launch of its SoC AP line, Dimensity.
In 2024, the company recorded $16.4 billion USD in revenue and $3.1 billion USD in operating profit (operating margin of 19.3%), continuing its steady growth and emerging as a key player in Taiwan's semiconductor industry alongside foundry partner TSMC.

In the Android market, MediaTek’s main competitors include Qualcomm and Samsung Electronics System LSI. Samsung’s Galaxy series predominantly uses Qualcomm Snapdragon and Exynos chips, whereas MediaTek targets brands such as OPPO and Vivo in China.

Currently, MediaTek utilizes TSMC’s 3nm process for premium-tier products, 4nm for mainstream applications, and also employs UMC’s nodes for select mainstream and IoT devices.
Fierce competition is expected in the future, and the industry is closely watching what new products MediaTek will unveil to solidify its position as a true SoC AP leader.


[Semiconductors] Complete Guide to MediaTek! History, Revenue (NT$ & USD), Products, TSMC Partnership, Salary, and Dimensity Series Overview (2020–2024)

✅ MediaTek Company Overview & History

  • Founded: 1997 (spun off from UMC)

  • IPO: 2001 on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2454)

  • Headquarters: Hsinchu, Taiwan

  • Employees: Approx. 22,000

  • Core Business Areas: Mobile SoCs, Smart Home, IoT, Connectivity, Automotive

  • Key Foundry Partner: TSMC (covering nodes from 3nm to 28nm)

  • Annual Chipset Shipments: Over 2 billion units worldwide

📊 MediaTek 5-Year Financial Performance (NTD & USD)

Exchange rate used: 1 USD = 32.2 NT$ (2024 average)

YearRevenue (NT$ Million)Revenue (USD Billion)Operating Profit (NT$ Million)Operating Profit (USD Billion)OPM (%)
2020322,15210.057,3081.7817.8%
2021493,92615.3111,9103.4722.7%
2022548,79517.0118,1383.6721.5%
2023433,44613.577,2362.4017.8%
2024530,58616.47102,4183.1819.3%

📈 MediaTek rebounded in 2024 with $16.47 billion in revenue and $3.18 billion in operating profit.
🔍 Source: MediaTek Investor Relations

🧩 Product Portfolio & Application Areas

✔️ Key Product Lines

  • Dimensity SoC: Flagship-to-entry 5G smartphone chipsets with AI optimization

  • Genio IoT Platform: AIoT and industrial edge computing

  • Smart TV Chipsets: Global No.1 market share

  • Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Chips: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 supported

  • Automotive SoCs: Dimensity Auto series (ADAS, infotainment)

✔️ Application Markets

Smartphones, Smart TVs, Wearables, Smart Home, IoT, Chromebooks, Automotive infotainment systems, Edge devices

🏭 Foundry Partners by Technology Node

Process NodeFoundry PartnerApplied Product
3nmTSMCDimensity 9400 flagship SoC
4nm/5nmTSMCDimensity 9300/9200
6nm/7nmTSMC, UMCDimensity 8200/8050, IoT devices
12nm~28nmTSMC, UMCHelio series, TV & Wi-Fi chips

⚙️ MediaTek primarily relies on TSMC for leading-edge nodes and uses UMC for mid-to-entry-level products.

💼 MediaTek Employee Salary (USD, 2024)

RoleAverage Salary (USD)Region
General Engineer~$115,000Taiwan
Software Engineer$51,800–$197,000Taiwan
Hardware Engineer$188,000–$409,000U.S.
Program Manager~$235,000U.S.
Cybersecurity Analyst~$298,000U.S.

💰 MediaTek is among the highest-paying fabless companies in Taiwan, on par with TSMC and Google.

📱 MediaTek Mobile SoC Lineup Summary (2024)

🔶 Premium Segment

SoCNodeFeaturesKey Models
Dimensity 94003nmCortex-X4, LPDDR5T, advanced AIvivo X100 Pro+
Dimensity 93004nm8 big cores, UFS 4.0, no efficiency coresHONOR Magic6 Pro
Dimensity 9200+4nmHigh clock speed (3.35GHz), gamingOPPO Find, iQOO 11

🔷 Mainstream Segment

SoCNodeFeaturesKey Models
Dimensity 83004nmLPDDR5X support, strong AIRedmi K70E
Dimensity 82004nmCortex-A78, power efficiencyiQOO Z7, vivo V27
Dimensity 80506nmAI-enhanced imaging, 120Hz videoRealme GT Neo series

🟢 Entry-Level Segment

SoCNodeFeaturesKey Models
Dimensity 6100+6nmSub-6GHz 5G, low powerRedmi 13C 5G
Helio G996nmHigh-performance 4GInfinix Zero 5G
Helio G85/G8812nmCost-optimized 4G SoCsTecno, Itel, Lava phones

🔍 Summary & Outlook

MediaTek continues to strengthen its position in the global semiconductor market with:

  • 3nm Dimensity 9400 launching on TSMC’s most advanced node

  • Diversification into automotive, IoT, and edge AI markets

  • Significant rebound in 2024 with 16.47 billion USD revenue

  • Growing competitiveness against Qualcomm in premium APs

💡 With strong ties to TSMC, a broad product portfolio, and strategic moves into new verticals, MediaTek is expected to maintain solid growth through 2025 and beyond.

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