Editing Microprocessor (section)

==Market statistics==
In 1997, about 55% of all [[CPU]]s sold in the world were 8-bit [[microcontroller]]s, of which over 2&nbsp;billion were sold.<ref>{{cite web | title=Microchip on the March | year=1998 | author=Cantrell, Tom | url=http://www.circuitcellar.com/library/designforum/silicon_update/3/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20070220134759/http://www.circuitcellar.com/library/designforum/silicon_update/3/index.asp | archive-date=2007-02-20 }}</ref>

In 2002, less than 10% of all the CPUs sold in the world were 32-bit or more. Of all the 32-bit CPUs sold, about 2% are used in desktop or laptop personal computers. Most microprocessors are used in embedded control applications such as household appliances, automobiles, and computer peripherals. Taken as a whole, the average price for a microprocessor, microcontroller, or [[digital signal processor|DSP]] is just over {{US$|6|2002}}.<ref name="turley">{{cite web | title=The Two Percent Solution | last=Turley | first=Jim | date=18 December 2002 | website=Embedded Systems Design | publisher=TechInsights (United Business Media) | url=http://www.embedded.com/print/4024488 | access-date=2009-12-23 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403140448/http://www.embedded.com/print/4024488 | archive-date=3 April 2015 }}</ref>

In 2003, about $44&nbsp;billion (equivalent to about ${{Inflation|US|44|2003|fmt=c}} billion in {{Inflation/year|US}}) worth of microprocessors were manufactured and sold.<ref>{{cite press release | title=WSTS Semiconductor Market Forecast World Release Date: 1 June 2004 - 6:00 UTC | work=Miyazaki, Japan, Spring Forecast Meeting 18–21 May 2004 | author=WSTS Board Of Directors | publisher=World Semiconductor Trade Statistics | url=http://www.wsts.org/press.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041207091926/http://www.wsts.org/press.html | archive-date=2004-12-07 }}</ref> Although about half of that money was spent on CPUs used in desktop or laptop [[personal computer]]s, those count for only about 2% of all CPUs sold.<ref name="turley" /> The quality-adjusted price of laptop microprocessors improved &minus;25% to &minus;35% per year in 2004–2010, and the rate of improvement slowed to &minus;15% to &minus;25% per year in 2010–2013.<ref name="Sun 2014">{{cite web |url=http://repository.wellesley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1284&context=thesiscollection |title=What We Are Paying for: A Quality Adjusted Price Index for Laptop Microprocessors |last=Sun |first=Liyang |publisher=Wellesley College |date=2014-04-25 |access-date=2014-11-07 |quote=… compared with -25% to -35% per year over 2004-2010, the annual decline plateaus around -15% to -25% over 2010-2013. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111024422/http://repository.wellesley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1284&context=thesiscollection |archive-date=2014-11-11 }}</ref>

About 10&nbsp;billion CPUs were manufactured in 2008. Most new CPUs produced each year are embedded.<ref>{{cite web | title=Real men program in C | last=Barr | first=Michael | page=2 | date=1 August 2009 | website=Embedded Systems Design | publisher=TechInsights (United Business Media) | url=http://www.embedded.com/electronics-blogs/barr-code/4027479/Real-men-program-in-C | access-date=2009-12-23 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022154730/http://www.embedded.com/electronics-blogs/barr-code/4027479/Real-men-program-in-C | archive-date=22 October 2012 }}</ref>