The smartphone market drives IC integration

The report (Audio ICs, Sensors and Distributed Processing in Mobile Devices: Audio Amplifiers, Audio CODECs, Audio Processors, MEMS Microphones, Motion Sensors - Stand Alone ICs, Integration Trends & Distributed Processing), which also covers tablets, smartwatches, mobile speakers and wireless headsets, examines current market trends and forecasts the likely growth of each market sector, with a major focus on IC integration trends.

Peter Cooney, Principal Analyst, SAR Insight & Consulting, commented: “The mobile device market continues to be a prime area of growth for audio ICs and motion sensor suppliers. In 2015 the total market was estimated to have grown to more than $7bn and is forecast to reach $10bn by 2019.”

Peter explained that new functionality, such as ‘always on’ voice control and high resolution audio, needs increasingly more sophisticated and higher quality audio ICs, which is helping to drive growth with more than 9bn audio ICs expected to ship in 2020.

Furthermore, the mobile phone market is examined in greater detail by the report, by breaking it down into three distinct categories: high end, mid tier and low end. This fine analysis of the market is vitally important because each category places its own demands on suppliers, and will experience markedly different trajectories of growth.

“High-end smartphone shipments are expected to see only modest growth from 2015 to 2017 then fall slightly to 2020 as low to mid-tier phones increase in performance and functionality and meet the demands of many users,” added Cooney. “However, the high end smartphone segment will continue to be very important for audio IC and motion sensor vendors as this will continue to be a major user of standalone components and driver of technology advances.”

The report also examines the impact that recent commercial activity has had on this sector and how new suppliers are helping to shape market trends.