Passive UHF RFID Reader Vendor Matrix

ABI Research evaluates manufacturers of passive UHF RFID readers on the basis of innovation and implementation, by selecting multiple criteria related to product and company characteristics as metrics for vendor performance in these two areas. Vendors are assigned numerical scores for each criterion, which are then aggregated to provide a score for vendors on both the innovation and implementation axes. These two scores are subsequently combined to produce an overall score for each vendor; and this overall score results in a relative ranking of each vendor.

Analysis includes only vendors that directly design and deliver products with passive UHF reader capabilities. It excludes vendors of products that provide RFID capabilities only through the optional inclusion of a third-party embeddable reader module, such as many handheld and vehicle-mount/mobile computers.
 
Innovation scoring criteria include: 
  • Product Innovation and Development: the vendor’s history of delivering innovative products on an ongoing basis, including unique and rich feature sets as well as RF protocol support.
  • Reader Form Factors: the diversity of different types of readers that the vendor currently offers.
  • Industry Leadership and Knowledge Transfer: the vendor’s track record of using its experience and depth of knowledge to help drive the passive UHF reader industry.
 Implementation scoring criteria include: 
  • Market Share: the vendor’s estimated market share as well as perceived presence, strength, and penetration in targeted markets.
  • Market Persistence: The vendor’s longevity, positive name recognition, and customer trust level in the passive UHF reader market.
  • Sales/Support Reach and Distribution Channels: the span of sales and support capability across the globe and the evaluation of partner ecosystem strength.
  • Market Coverage: the breadth and depth of the application and vertical markets served.
Vendors receive a rating score from 0 to 9 for each criterion, based on available information and ABI Research opinion. The number of criteria for implementation and innovation in a Vendor Matrix may differ; however, this does not impact vendor ranking.
 
The rating scores assigned for each criterion are weighted for their relative importance, and then summed to determine independent raw total scores for implementation and innovation. The raw total scores are then mapped to a range from 0 to 100 on each axis. This mapping does not impact relative vendor ranking – it merely converts those rankings into a normalized scale.
 

Top 10 Listing:


Rankings



After individual scores are established for Innovation and Implementation using the above criteria, an overall company score is established using the Root Mean Square (RMS) method:




The resulting overall scores are then ranked and used for percentile comparisons.

The RMS method, in comparison with a straight summation or average of individual innovation and implementation values, rewards companies for standout performance.

For example, using this method a company with an innovation score of 9 and an implementation score of 1 would score considerably higher than a company with a score of 5 in both areas, despite the mean score being the same. ABI Research believes this is appropriate as the goal of these matrices is to highlight those companies that stand out from the others.