Wi-Fi in Consumer Electronics

Devices, ICs and Competitive Analysis of the Newest Growth Market for Wi-Fi

After years of talk, the market for networked entertainment devices has begun to emerge, with a new generation of devices beginning to arrive from major consumer electronics vendors. Until now, this market has been largely hobbled by a lack of standards, lack of content and the absence of scalable business models. This changed in 2006 as new standards such as Viiv, DLNA and Microsoft’s Media Center Extender software stacks gained additional momentum. The dominant form of networking connectivity for consumer electronics is likely be Wi-Fi. It is the most widely-used type of consumer-installable, retail-based networking, and it fits very well with the various use-case scenarios for networked entertainment devices.

This study examines the current state of Wi-Fi in consumer electronics. It explores the different types of devices where Wi-Fi will continue to grow in importance, featuring forecasts for total devices connected, as well as IC units and revenues for these devices. The research examines the different protocols for Wi-Fi across a number of device types, and evaluates line-powered vs. portable use-case scenarios and design considerations. The report includes analysis of key vendors in this space, from both system and silicon perspectives.

What Questions Does This Report Answer?

  • Which consumer electronics devices will see the fastest adoption of Wi-Fi?
  • How will the portable market differ from that of line-powered consumer electronics with regard to Wi-Fi adoption?
  • How will the Wi-Fi media adapter market fare as more consumer electronics devices feature embedded Wi-Fi?
  • Which IC vendors are most likely to capture some of the Wi-Fi consumer electronics market?
  • When embedding Wi-Fi, what design factors must be considered for different consumer electronics products ?
  • Which companies are likely to have the biggest impact on shaping the Wi-Fi consumer electronics market?

Who Needs This Report?

  • Consumer electronics vendors
  • Wi-Fi IC and broadband IC vendors
  • Networking hardware vendors
  • Digital home software vendors
  • PC OEMs
  • Content providers
  • Broadband and video service providers
  • Investment and financial analysts