WLAN and A-GPS Chipset Market to Witness High Growth Due to Increased Penetration in Cellular Devices

Frost: The wireless local area network (WLAN) and assisted global positioning system (A-GPS) chipsets market is set for phenomenal growth, with both technologies expected to extend their benefits into new areas such as consumer electronics and cellular devices.

The world WLAN chipset market earned revenues of $910 million in 2005 and estimates to reach $2,288.70 million in 2009. The global A-GPS Chipset Market earned revenues of $546.30 million in 2005 and estimates to reach $1,422.50 million in 2009.

With the proliferation of hotspots, WLAN technology is witnessing a transition from the traditional retail and laptop segment into consumer electronic devices such as printers, gaming consoles, portable media and audio players that offer end users mobility as well as the ability to share wireless information, .

Cellular devices are expected to be one of the high growth segments over the next few years with many large handset manufacturers already releasing dual-mode phones that have the capability to switch seamlessly between a cellular and wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) network.

The share of cellular devices in the WLAN chipsets market, which was 10.9 percent in 2005, is expected to reach 23.4 percent by 2009, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 52.4 percent. The consumer electronics segment is proving to be equally lucrative and expects to increase its meager 2.5 percent share of the WLAN chipsets market in 2005 to approximately 10 percent by 2009.

The WLAN chipset market is also set for tremendous growth with the standardization of 802.11n expected in 2007. The ratification allows converged data, voice and video services without disruption and is likely to have a strong impact on the residential gateway market.

The ability to operate in an unlicensed spectrum and the increase in throughput, range and reliability are some of the other factors that will drive WLAN chipsets into a range of emerging consumer electronics.

The A-GPS market is also rapidly evolving and with improved functionalities in terms of faster time-to-first-fix, reduction in power consumption, and the ability to track satellites under weak signal conditions, it is gradually moving beyond defense-oriented applications toward mainstream consumer markets.

Government mandates in Japan, Europe and the United States that require most mobile phones to have GPS capability with greater accuracy and precision levels are fuelling demand for A-GPS chipsets, especially in emergency services such as E911 and E112 and location-based services.

As WLAN and A-GPS penetrate an increasing number of consumer electronic devices, providing system level solutions and integrating all components onto a single chip is expected to be a major challenge for semiconductor vendors.

In such a scenario, those vendors that offer high performance, cost-effective single package solutions that consume less power stand to gain the most in terms of market share.

world WLAN and A-GPS Chipsets Market Publ 20060810