The current economic recession has been acutely felt by the technology industry yet there are signs of optimism, according to the latest research.

By way of Reuters, market analyst iSuppli reports that worldwide semiconductor sales will drop by a less-than-expected level in 2009. Chip sales will fall by 16.5 per cent, down to $216.5bn, rather than a 23 per cent decline as previously postulated by iSuppli.

Looking towards 2010, revenue is estimated to go up to $246bn, representing an increase of 13.8 per cent from this year, but down some $14bn from 2008 levels.

Further, iSuppli reckons that we'll have to wait until 2012 until annual growth is achieved, with sales forecasted at $282.7bn.

Of the big-name players, Intel will continue to make up the largest single-company portion of the revenue, at around 14 per cent of the multi-billion-dollar pie, followed by the likes of Samsung, Toshiba, Qualcomm and NEC.