In 2015, the top 10 companies for telecom sales had total revenues of almost $483 billion. Apple’s iPhone sales, at $155.5 billion, were nearly one third of the sales of all top 10 companies.

Apple designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal media devices and computers. They were initially known for their computers, but today, their iPhone sales are three times larger than their computer sales. They employ over 110,000 people worldwide.

Samsung was founded in 1938 in South Korea and focused on food exports. Today, the company’s focus is on electronics including smartphones/tablets, appliances, digital televisions, digital displays, semiconductors and systems integration. Its 2015, total sales topped $177 billion.

The worldwide demand for connectors in the telecom market was $10.9 billion in 2015, up 1.3% from 2014. China consumed 41% of those connectors by dollar volume.

Out of the Top 100 connector companies, the Top 10 companies supplying connectors to the telecom market provide 71% of the worldwide demand for that market (estimated from 2014 sales).

Amphenol has the largest market share at 24% of the telecom market. They were followed by TE at 13%.

Bishop follows 11 public companies in the telecom market on a quarterly basis. In 2015, sales for these companies increased 9.2% over their 2014 sales. Profitability increased 9.5% year over year.

Of the 11 companies, Apple had the largest increase in sales in 2015 at 28.9%. Apple was also the largest telecom company in 2015 at $155.5 billion in sales.

Telecom connector sales increased 1.3% in 2015. Our 11 telecom OEM’s sales increased 9.2% in 2015.

Sales information for these connector companies and others can be found in Bishop & Associates’ Top 100 Connector Manufacturers report. Profiles of more than 700 connector companies can be found on Bishop & Associates’ subscribers-only World’s Connector Companies website (www.worldsconnectorcompanies.com). For more information, contact bishop@bishopinc.com or call 630-443-2702.


Ronald E. Bishop

Ronald E. Bishop

Ronald E. Bishop founded Bishop & Associates Inc., a market research firm that specializes in the world electronic connector industry, in 1985. The firm publishes a monthly newsletter titled “The Bishop Report,” and the twice-monthly digital publication Connector Supplier.

The reports, produced by a staff of 20 researchers, focus on geographic regions, end-user equipment markets, connector products, and interconnect technologies.

The firm also provides executive placement services and conducts multi-client studies and customer surveys, and assists in merger and acquisition activity.

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