Volumes[edit]
About 55% of all CPUs sold in the world are 8-bit microcontrollers and microprocessors.[4] Over two billion 8-bit microcontrollers were sold in 1997,[5] and According to Semico, over four billion 8-bit microcontrollers were sold in 2006.[6] More recently, Semico has claimed the MCU market grew 36.5% in 2010 and 12% in 2011.[7]
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 as many as 30 or more microcontrollers. They can also be found in many electrical devices such as washing machines, microwave ovens, and telephones.