© Semiconductor Today Magazine / Juno Publishing
The global market for millimetre-wave and microwave RF transceivers (including applications in mobile phones, tablets, smart TVs, PCs and laptops, and set-top boxes) will grow at a CAGR of 11.56% during 2017-2021, according to a report by TechNavio
One trend is the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) applications (enabling devices to collect data using sensors and actuators and to transmit data to a centralized location on a real-time basis). Representing one of the fastest-growing markets worldwide, it is estimated that 33 billion devices will be connected through IoT by 2021, generating a total of about 50 trillion GB of data.
One driver in the market is the deployment of next-generation LTE wireless networks. The increase in data consumption has led to the adoption of next-generation LTE networks, such as LTE and LTE Advanced. The growing consumption of mobile data has resulted in the growth of commercial networks, making LTE the fastest-developing mobile technology, notes the report.
Specific bands have been designated for LTE, but they vary from one carrier to another. For example, the iPhone 6 from Verizon Communications uses different bands compared with the iPhone 6 from AT&T. The use of multiple bands that are often widely spaced apart causes LTE and 3G interference from different RF sources.
Market trends include the growing applications of IoT; the introduction of the coax transceiver chip; the growth in technological convergence; the advent of WCC communication; the era of wearable technology; and telecom firms demonstrating an inclination toward millimetre-wave solutions.
Key vendors include Broadcom, MediaTek, Microchip Atmel, Qorvo, Qualcomm Technologies, and Skyworks Solutions, as well as Analog Devices, Cisco, GCT Semiconductor, Lime Microsystems, Microsemi, NVIDIA, NXP Semiconductors, Phi Microtech, Silicon Motion, Spreadtrum Communications, STMicroelectronics, and Texas Instruments.
