The approximately $3bn RF power amplifier market is poised to expand at a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.2% over 2018-2028, as the widening expansion of 5G cellular networks will remain the main driver of RF power amplifier market growth, in addition to the continuous penetration of smart devices and connected technology, according to the report ‘RF Power Amplifier Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking - Global Market insights 2018 to 2028’ from Fact.MR.
The APEJ region (Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan) currently accounts for a sizable share (<50%) of the RF power amplifier market, whereas North America holds over a quarter of the market.
The North American and European RF power amplifier markets are expected to exhibit high CAGRs, due mainly to the booming consumer electronics sector. However, the strong presence of some of the leading RF power amplifier manufacturers will maintain Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) as the largest market region throughout 2018-2028. With nearly 40% share of the market, APEJ is expected to be driven mainly by the developing telecom, industrial and wireless network sectors.
Burgeoning adoption of energy-efficient equipment, coupled with rapid progress in the semiconductor industry, will further accelerate RF power amplifier market growth in the APEJ region, the report forecasts. In terms of sustainable value generation in the RF power amplifier market, China, South Korea and India are expected to boost high-performance analog semiconductor components, increaing demand. Another strong factor driving growth in the APEJ region is consistently increasing deployment of next-generation wireless networks and LTE networks.
Established and new-entrant semiconductor manufacturers in certain regions, including China, India, Japan and the USA are expected to stimulate the development of new business models among RF power amplifier manufacturers by augmenting demand for advanced consumer electronics and network products – pushing the Internet of Things (IoT) and wireless infrastructure sectors further.
RF power amplifier manufacturers are focusing on increasing investments in technology upgrades, notes the report. The onus has shifted to revamping legacy models in order to improve operational efficiency. Evolving end-user demand has also meant that RF power amplifier manufacturers have to make consistent size/weight reductions while increasing the power density of amplifiers. Investment in R&D on the next generation of multi-mode RF power amplifiers will potentially play a pivotal role in enabling firms to address the challenge of adapting legacy platforms to support modern business operations, unlocking opportunities for RF power amplifier market growth in the near future, it is reckoned.
In March, US-based Cree Inc announced the acquisition of the assets of Radio Frequency (RF) Power business of Germany’s Infineon Technologies AG, which should trigger expansion of Cree’s existing product portfolio and customer base. Moreover, industry experts expect the acquisition to strengthen Cree’s market position, particularly in RF GaN-on-SiC technologies. Also, MACOM has introduced the MAGM series of GaN-on-Si based monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifiers, specifically optimized for 5G wireless base-station infrastructure. More recently, NXP Semiconductors announced the launch of its 5G RF front-end portfolio for massive multiple-input-multiple-output (mMIMO) systems (the key ingredient of 5G networks), notes the report.
