Bandwidth-heavy applications create growth opportunities

9th June 2017

Alice Matthews

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Governments and industry stakeholders are keenly following developments in the microelectronics industry, as these technologies could potentially disrupt and bolster the Internet of Things (IoT) Mega Trend. Microelectronics will support eco-friendliness, Innovating to Zero, smart and connected homes, cloud computing and miniaturisation trends, and influence the technological progress of a wide range of industries.

This will open up opportunities across value chains, and key industry participants are actively entering this technology space to gain an early mover advantage.

“One of the major selling points of microelectronics is its low power consumption. Industries recognise that the technology’s rapid charging, smart antenna, wireless charging, and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) make it extremely cost effective in the long term,” noted Frost & Sullivan TechVision Research Analyst Brinda Manivannan. “Furthermore, a small footprint makes microelectronics relevant in an era that is experiencing the accelerated adoption of wearables and smart devices. Wireless communication technologies and display technologies will be significantly affected by this trend.”

Top Technologies in Microelectronics, 2017 is part of Frost & Sullivan’s TechVision (Microelectronics) Growth Partnership Service programme. The study assesses the impact of the top emerging microelectronics technologies, the innovation strength of each region, and the global market potential of the technology. It also covers the dynamic technologies that enable the convergence of Mega Trends such as smart cities, vehicle to X (V2X) systems, IoT and connected systems.

While the benefits of microelectronics are manifold, scientists and adopters are still challenged by the huge cost of research and development (R&D), capital-intensive manufacturing, scalability limitations, volume production and lack of a structured supply chain. However, technology developers are gradually addressing these roadblocks to adoption, with North America leading in technology advancements and Asia-Pacific in technology adoption.

“Microelectronics R&D will also get a boost with the impending bandwidth crunch due to the increased penetration of augmented reality and virtual reality devices. Microelectronics can be employed to develop faster data transmission technologies such as visible light communication (VLC) and advanced data storage techniques to power data-intensive applications,” noted Manivannan. “Meanwhile, the evolution of display technologies from conventional liquid crystal display to flexible and highly versatile OLED technology is also accelerating the need for microelectronics, ensuring a steady stream of innovations from visionary industry participants.”