Wi-Fi IC Shipments Forecast to Surpass 770 Million Units in 2010


SINGAPORE - May 28, 2010

Global shipments of Wi-Fi ICs have experienced an extraordinary growth in recent years, due to the increasing demands for wireless-enabled devices and enterprise level applications.

 

Wi-Fi IC shipments are forecast to surpass 770 million units in 2010, up almost 33% compared to 2009. Shipment of 802.11n ICs will surge ahead of 802.11g and dominate the market this year, accounting for approximately 60% of total Wi-Fi IC shipments. 

 

Growth engine

 

“The 802.11n standard which was ratified last year is a powerful growth engine to drive the Wi-Fi IC market increases,” says ABI Research wireless and semiconductor industry analyst Celia Bo. 


Wi-Fi IC Shipment Forecast by Product Type


The accompanying chart shows the Wi-Fi IC shipment forecast by product type. The cellular handsets segment is seen to be maintaining the highest unit shipment of Wi-Fi-enabled products in next five years, achieving an estimated CAGR of 25% between 2009 and 2015; the penetration rate will reach approximately 40% of total handsets shipped in 2015. 

 

Laptops, netbooks, and MIDs are other segments which will see higher shipments across all Wi-Fi-enabled products, and the trend will carry on throughout the following years. 

 

Consumer Electronics Set the Pace

 

“The penetration rate of Wi-Fi ICs in consumer electronic products will continue to grow robustly,” Bo continues. “Total shipments of consumer electronic products with Wi-Fi functionality are expected to exceed 530 million in 2015, with a 26% CAGR between 2009 and 2015. Shipments of Wi-Fi-enabled digital still cameras, TVs and DVD players will increase more than tenfold in 2015 as compared to 2009. The demand for Wi-Fi-enabled home entertainment products such as networked game consoles and handheld game consoles is increasing as well: between 2009 and 2015, the CAGR will reach 8% and 6% respectively.”

 

ABI Research’s market data product “Wi-Fi IC Market Share Analysis and Forecasts” addresses marketing and technical analysis of Wi-Fi ICs. The forecast information is organized by Protocol, Product Application, Client Type and Vendor Market Share Information.

 

The study is included in the firm’s Wi-Fi Research Service which also includes Research Reports and Research briefs, other Market Data products, ABI Insights, ABI Vendor Matrices, and analyst inquiry support.