Editing Microcontroller (section)

=== Volume and cost ===
In 2002, about 55% of all [[central processing unit|CPU]]s sold in the world were 8-bit microcontrollers and microprocessors.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.embedded.com/electronics-blogs/significant-bits/4024488/The-Two-Percent-Solution|title=The Two Percent Solution|last=Turley|first=Jim|work=Embedded|year=2002|access-date=2018-07-11|language=en}}</ref>

Over two billion 8-bit microcontrollers were sold in 1997,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.circuitcellar.com/library/designforum/silicon_update/3/index.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927214629/https://www.circuitcellar.com/library/designforum/silicon_update/3/index.asp|archive-date=2007-09-27|url-status=dead|title=Microchip on the March <!--HTML title: Circuit Cellar - Digital Library-->|year=1998|first=Tom |last=Cantrell|website=Circuit Cellar|access-date=2018-07-11}}</ref> and according to Semico, over four billion 8-bit microcontrollers were sold in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.semico.com |title=Semico Research}}</ref> More recently, Semico has claimed the MCU market grew 36.5% in 2010 and 12% in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://semico.com/content/momentum-carries-mcus-2011|title=Momentum Carries MCUs Into 2011 {{!}} Semico Research|website=semico.com|language=en|access-date=2018-07-11}}</ref>

A typical home in a developed country is likely to have only four general-purpose microprocessors but around three dozen microcontrollers. A typical mid-range automobile has about 30 microcontrollers. They can also be found in many electrical devices such as washing machines, microwave ovens, and telephones.

{{blockquote|Historically, the 8-bit segment has dominated the MCU market [..] 16-bit microcontrollers became the largest volume MCU category in 2011, overtaking 8-bit devices for the first time that year [..] IC Insights believes the makeup of the MCU market will undergo substantial changes in the next five years with 32-bit devices steadily grabbing a greater share of sales and unit volumes.  By 2017, 32-bit MCUs are expected to account for 55% of microcontroller sales [..] In terms of unit volumes, 32-bit MCUs are expected account for 38% of microcontroller shipments in 2017, while 16-bit devices will represent 34% of the total, and 4-/8-bit designs are forecast to be 28% of units sold that year.

The 32-bit MCU market is expected to grow rapidly due to increasing demand for higher levels of precision in embedded-processing systems and the growth in connectivity using the Internet. [..] In the next few years, complex 32-bit MCUs are expected to account for over 25% of the processing power in vehicles.|IC Insights|MCU Market on Migration Path to 32-bit and ARM-based Devices<ref name="vol">{{cite web |url=http://www.icinsights.com/news/bulletins/MCU-Market-On-Migration-Path-To-32bit-And-ARMbased-Devices/
|date=April 25, 2013
|title=MCU Market on Migration Path to 32-bit and ARM-based Devices
|quote=It typically takes a global economic recession to upset the diverse MCU marketplace, and that's exactly what occurred in 2009, when the microcontroller business suffered its worst-ever annual sales decline of 22% to $11.1 billion.}}</ref>
}}

Cost to manufacture can be under {{US$|0.10}} per unit.

Cost has plummeted over time, with the cheapest [[8-bit computing|8-bit]] microcontrollers being available for under {{USD|0.03}} in 2018,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.additude.se/bloggar/thomas-lovskog/the-really-low-cost-mcus/|title=The really low cost MCUs|website=www.additude.se|access-date=2019-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803173013/http://www.additude.se/bloggar/thomas-lovskog/the-really-low-cost-mcus/|archive-date=2020-08-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> and some [[32-bit computing|32-bit]] microcontrollers around {{US$|1}} for similar quantities.

In 2012, following a global crisis—a worst ever annual sales decline and recovery and average sales price year-over-year plunging 17%—the biggest reduction since the 1980s—the average price for a microcontroller was {{US$|0.88}} ({{US$|0.69}} for 4-/8-bit, {{US$|0.59}} for 16-bit, {{US$|1.76}} for 32-bit).<ref name="vol"/>

In 2012, worldwide sales of 8-bit microcontrollers were around {{US$|4 billion}}, while [[4-bit computing|4-bit]] microcontrollers also saw significant sales.<ref>{{cite web |author=Bill Giovino |url=https://microcontroller.com/news/Zilog_Buys_Samsung_Microcontrollers.asp |title=Zilog Buys Microcontroller Product Lines from Samsung |date=June 7, 2013}}</ref>

In 2015, 8-bit microcontrollers could be bought for {{US$|0.311}} (1,000 units),<ref name="mouser.com">{{Cite web |url=https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Silicon-Labs/EFM8BB10F2G-A-QFN20/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMu9ReDVvI6ax9sqO0qrXlDW4ZuhKcnb2c%252bQvyUXU1UbuQ%3d%3d |title=EFM8BB10F2G-A-QFN20 Silicon Labs &#124; Mouser}}</ref> 16-bit for {{US$|0.385}} (1,000 units),<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web |url=https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Texas-Instruments/MSP430G2001IPW14R/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvfhsTlJjecML5mLnp8Cec4esZ6%2f1aK7FQ%3d |title = MSP430G2001IPW14R Texas Instruments &#124; Mouser}}</ref> and 32-bit for {{US$|0.378}} (1,000 units, but at {{US$|0.35}} for 5,000).<ref name="formerly_cheaper_32-bit">{{Cite web|title=CY8C4013SXI-400 Cypress Semiconductor {{!}} Mouser|website=Mouser Electronics|url=https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Cypress-Semiconductor/CY8C4013SXI-400/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMuI9neUTtPr752e7iT1qQqS4inl2jxeWgxWqjKLOdzceQ==|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218211453/https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Cypress-Semiconductor/CY8C4013SXI-400/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMuI9neUTtPr752e7iT1qQqS4inl2jxeWgxWqjKLOdzceQ==|archive-date=2015-02-18|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2018, 8-bit microcontrollers could be bought for {{US$|0.03}},<ref name=":0" /> 16-bit for {{US$|0.393}} (1,000 units, but at {{US$|0.563}} for 100 or {{US$|0.349}} for full reel of 2,000),<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://eu.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Texas-Instruments/MSP430FR2000IPW16R?qs=sGAEpiMZZMs0L%252b%252bydDbPCjJ%2f9huEtS8nFliXsvF0PDUDt%252bi%2fs4FH9A%3d%3d |title=MSP430FR2000IPW16R Texas Instruments &#124; Mouser}}</ref> and 32-bit for {{US$|0.503}} (1,000 units, but at {{US$|0.466}} for 5,000).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Cypress-Semiconductor/CY8C4013SXI-400/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMuI9neUTtPr752e7iT1qQqS4inl2jxeWgxWqjKLOdzceQ== |title=CY8C4013SXI-400 Cypress Semiconductor {{!}} Mouser |website=Mouser Electronics|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-11}}</ref>

In 2018, the low-priced microcontrollers above from 2015 were all more expensive (with inflation calculated between 2018 and 2015 prices for those specific units) at: the 8-bit microcontroller could be bought for {{US$|0.319}} (1,000 units) or 2.6% higher,<ref name="mouser.com"/> the 16-bit one for {{US$|0.464}} (1,000 units) or 21% higher,<ref name="ReferenceA"/> and the 32-bit one for {{US$|0.503}} (1,000 units, but at {{US$|0.466}} for 5,000) or 33% higher.<ref name="formerly_cheaper_32-bit"/>

[[Image:PIC18F8720.jpg|right|thumbnail|A [[PIC microcontroller|PIC]] 18F8720 microcontroller in an 80-pin [[Quad Flat Package|TQFP]] package]]