Wi-Fi Chipsets: Is 802.11ac The New Black?

In-Stat/MDR, February 2012, Pages: 58

Over the next few years, Wi-Fi chipsets are poised for explosive growth in connected devices. Analysis is provided on new standards such as 802.11ac and Wi-Fi Direct, low-power chipsets, recent news in Wi-Fi, embedded chipsets, combo chipsets, and monolithic chipsets. This report provides data and analysis on the number of Wi-Fi chipsets shipped worldwide across 32 different product categories. Chipsets are forecast by type (monolithic, combo, embedded) and by standard (802.11a/bg, 802.11n, 802.11ac) with data provided for the years 2010 through 2015.

With this report clients can:
-Determine the overall value of the Wi-Fi chipset market
-Assess the impact of new SoCs embedded with Wi-Fi on the overall Wi-Fi chipset market
-Develop strategic marketing plans based on trends by device category
-Track the growth of 802.11ac across different device categories.

Executive Summary
Introduction
State of Wi-Fi
- 802.11ac
- Wi-Fi Direct
- Low-Power Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi News Brief
Wi-Fi Chipset Market Forecasts
- Automotive
- Cellphones (Smartphones)
- Cellphones (Basic and Feature Phones)
- Mobile Hotspots
- Desktops
- Mini-Notes
- Notebooks
- Tablets
- Broadband Routers
- FTTH Gateways
- Network-Attached Storage (Consumer)
- Network-Attached Storage (Business)
- Residential Gateways
- Wireless Access Points
- Multifunction Peripherals
- Printers (Ink Jet)
- Printers (Laser)
- USB Adapters
- Cameras (Digital)
- E-Readers
- Handheld Games
- Portable Media Players
- Personal Navigation Devices
- Blu-ray Players
- Digital Photo Frames
- Digital Televisions
- Set Top Boxes (Digital Cable)
- Set Top Boxes (Digital Satellite)
- Set Top Boxes (IP/DSL)
- Standalone Personal Video Recorders
- Video Game Consoles
- Streaming Media Players
Chipset ASPs
Overall Chipset Market
- Monolithic
- Combo
- Opportunity Cost Lost to Embedded Processors
Methodology

List of Tables
Table 1. Total Wi-Fi Chipset Units and Revenue by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 2. Wi-Fi Standards Attributes
Table 3. Other Wi-Fi Standards Summary
Table 4. Total 802.11ac Wi-Fi Chipset Units by End Market, 2012 to 2015
Table 5. Automobiles: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 6. Automobiles: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 7. Automobiles: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 8. Cellphones (Smartphones): Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 9. Cellphones (Smartphones): Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 10. Cellphones (Smartphones): Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 11. Cellphones (Basic and Feature Phones): Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 12. Cellphones (Basic and Feature Phones): Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 13. Cellphones (Basic and Feature Phones): Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 14. Mobile Hotspots: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 15. Mobile Hotspots: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 16. Mobile Hotspots: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 17. Desktops: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 18. Desktops: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 19. Desktops: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 20. Mini-Notes: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 21. Mini-Notes: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 22. Mini-Notes: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 23. Notebooks: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 24. Notebooks: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 25. Notebooks: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 26. Tablets: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 27. Tablets: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 28. Tablets: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 29. Broadband Routers: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 30. Broadband Routers: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 31. Broadband Routers: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 32. FTTH Gateways: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 33. FTTH Gateways: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 34. FTTH Gateways: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 35. NAS (Consumer): Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 36. NAS (Consumer): Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 37. NAS (Consumer): Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 38. NAS (Business): Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 39. NAS (Business): Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 40. NAS (Business): Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 41. Residential Gateways: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 42. Residential Gateways: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 43. Residential Gateways: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 44. Wireless Access Points: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 45. Wireless Access Points: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 46. Wireless Access Points: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 47. Multifunction Peripherals: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 48. Multifunction Peripherals: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 49. Multifunction Peripherals: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 50. Printers (Ink Jet): Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 51. Printers (Ink Jet): Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 52. Printers (Ink Jet): Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 53. Printers (Laser): Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 54. Printers (Laser): Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 55. Printers (Laser): Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 56. USB Adapters: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 57. USB Adapters: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 58. USB Adapters: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 59. Cameras (Digital): Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 60. Cameras (Digital): Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 61. Cameras (Digital): Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 62. E-Readers: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 63. E-Readers: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 64. E-Readers: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 65. Handheld Games: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 66. Handheld Games: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 67. Handheld Games: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 68. Portable Media Players: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 69. Portable Media Players: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 70. Portable Media Players: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 71. Personal Navigation Devices: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 72. Personal Navigation Devices: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 73. Personal Navigation Devices: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 74. Blu-ray Players: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 75. Blu-ray Players: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 76. Blu-ray Players: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 77. Digital Photo Frames: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 78. Digital Photo Frames: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 79. Digital Photo Frames: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 80. Digital Televisions: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 81. Digital Televisions: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 82. Digital Televisions: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 83. Set Top Boxes (Digital Cable): Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 84. Set Top Boxes (Digital Cable): Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 85. Set Top Boxes (Digital Cable): Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 86. Set Top Boxes (Digital Satellite): Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 87. Set Top Boxes (Digital Satellite): Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 88. Set Top Boxes (Digital Satellite): Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 89. Set Top Boxes (IP/DSL): Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 90. Set Top Boxes (IP/DSL): Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 91. Set Top Boxes (IP/DSL): Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 92. Standalone Personal Video Recorders: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 93. Standalone Personal Video Recorders: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 94. Standalone Personal Video Recorders: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 95. Video Game Consoles: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 96. Video Game Consoles: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 97. Video Game Consoles: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 98. Streaming Media Players: Wi-Fi Chipset Units by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 99. Streaming Media Players: Wi-Fi Chipset Revenue by Type and Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 100. Streaming Media Players: Wi-Fi Chipset Attach Rate by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 101. Wi-Fi Chipset ASPs by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 102. Wi-Fi Chipset ASPs by Type, 2010 to 2015
Table 103. Total Wi-Fi Chipset Units and Revenue by Type, 2010 to 2015
Table 104. Total Wi-Fi Chipset Units and Revenue by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 105. Monolithic Wi-Fi Chipset Units and Revenue by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 106. Combo Wi-Fi Chipset Units and Revenue by Standard, 2010 to 2015
Table 107. Embedded Wi-Fi Chipset Units and Potential Lost Revenue by Standard, 2010 to 2015

Embedded Wi-Fi Chipsets Could Impact Potential Combo Chipset Revenue by $590 Million in 2015

In November of 2011, Qualcomm unveiled new details regarding its Snapdragon S4 class processors. These new Snapdragon processors will have integrated baseband processors for not only 3G/4G cellular standards, but also Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Qualcomm believes that these new chipsets will enable power savings and improve the manageability of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios. NPD In-Stat believes that other processor manufacturers, which have been acquiring both cellular and Wi-Fi intellectual property over the past two years, will soon follow suit. Asa result, new In-Stat research forecasts the potential Wi-Fi combo chipset revenue loss, as new processors with embedded Wi-Fi baseband eliminate the need for separate monolithic Wi-Fi combo chipsets, could be as high as $590 million in 2015.

“One of the critical factors in determining the impact from these integrated processors is the impact on the bill-of-materials cost,” says Greg Potter, Analyst. “Not only do you eliminate the need for a Wi-Fi combo chip, you potentially simplify the PCB in phones, tablets, and similar devices. Other benefits include the potential to decrease the number of antennas and the elimination of potential signal interference. The initial markets for these chipsets will be high-end and mid-tier smartphones along with Android tablets. Moving forward, expect these chips to migrate down to low-end smartphones, low-end tablets, and even basic and feature phones.”

Potter continues, “With new processors integrating Wi-Fi, we are also likely to see a benefit to Wi-Fi adoption rates in some markets. Digital home devices such as TVs and set top boxes that are beginning to consider smartphone processors as the basis of their platforms may find Wi-Fi as additional and valuable feature, accelerating adoption and increasing the overall Wi-Fi demand.”

Key research findings include:
- The introduction of low-power Wi-Fi chipsets presents a challenge to Bluetooth in certain markets.
- Monolithic chipset revenues and shipments will decline slightly from 2010 to 2011 as more cellular phones switch to combo chipsets.
- Combo chip prices will see a steady decline, and by 2015 they will decrease by over one fourth of 2010 pricing levels.
- 802.11ac will grow rapidly with shipments to surpass 650 million chipsets by 2015.

Recent In-Stat research, Wi-Fi Chipsets: Is 802.11ac The New Black?, provides recent news in Wi-Fi, analysis of new standards such as 802.11ac and Wi-Fi Direct, analysis of low-power chipsets, and of monolithic, combo, and embedded chipsets. Chipsets are forecast by type (monolithic, combo, embedded) and by standard (802.11a/bg, 802.11n, 802.11ac) with data provided for the years 2010 through 2015. Data and analysis are presented on the number of Wi-Fi chipsets shipped worldwide across 33 different product categories, including:
- Automobiles
- Cell Phones (Basic and Feature Phones)
- Cell Phones (Smartphones)
- Mobile Hotspots
- Desktop
- Mini-Note
- Notebook
- Tablets
- Broadband Routers
- FTTH Residential Gateways
- Network-Attached Storage (Consumer Network-Attached Storage)
- Network-Attached Storage (SMB Network-Attached Storage)
- Residential Gateways
- Wireless Access Points
- Multifunction Peripherals
- Printers (Ink Jet)
- Printers (Laser)
- USB Adapters (USB Wi-Fi Adapters)
- Cameras (Digital Still Cameras)
- E-Readers
- Handheld Game Consoles
- PMP
- PND
- Blu-ray Player (Blue Laser)
- Digital Photo Frames
- Digital Televisions
- Set Top Box (Digital Cable)
- Set Top Box (Digital Satellite)
- Set Top Box (Digital Terrestrial)
- Set Top Box (IP/DSL)
- Standalone PVR
- Video Game Consoles
- Streaming Media Players

This research is part of In-Stat’s Mobile Technology service, which provides analysis of the market for technologies, IP, and semiconductors that enable next-generation mobile devices, including processors, graphics, modems, GPS, displays, memory, storage, operating systems, software, and human interfaces.

The information contained in this report comes from both primary and secondary sources. Primary research was conducted through direct interviews, over the phone, or via email, with Wi-Fi chipset manufacturers and Wi-Fi device makers. Interviews were conducted during the fourth quarter of 2011. Companies briefed for the report include Broadcom, Cisco, CSR, GainSpan, IEEE, Marvell, Ozmo Devices, Qualcomm, Qualcomm Atheros, Redpine Signals, Texas Instruments, and the Wi-Fi Alliance. Secondary research consisted of background research about Wi-Fi chipsets, standards, and devices, including magazines, journals, trade publications, and Web searches in the fourth quarter of 2011, as well as analysis of previous In-Stat reports and consultation with other In-Stat analysts.

In-Stat calculates revenue by multiplying chipset ASPs by unit shipments. ASPs are calculated by accounting for the type and technology present in a typical Wi-Fi chipset on a market level. For example the average router uses a more expensive chipset than a typical tablet. Revenues for embedded Wi-Fi chipsets were calculated using the estimated cost for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth baseband portions of the chip, and as such do not reflect the actual total expected pricing for these chipsets.

Embedded chipset revenue was purposefully recorded as zero in the data tables, because Wi-Fi is no longer an independent chip or chipset. The Wi-Fi function is integrated in the core processor and is just one of many functions. It should be noted that this effect would be similar to the on-chip integration of Bluetooth. We expect a similar conversion for future features as well.

Product Samples

A sample for this product is available. Please Login/Register to download this sample.

Customers who bought this item also bought

• Wi-Fi New Frontiers Technologies and Markets Development
• The Definitive Analysis of WiFi Infrastructure and Market Update 2011
• Mobile Data Modules: Powering the Market for Mobile Internet Peripherals and Devices
• Mobile Internet Devices: Uptake and Trends
• IP-Enabled Consumer Electronics: Internet Video & Digital Media to the TV
• Wireless/Mobile Devices and OSS: Solutions and Market Opportunities
• The 4G Era: IEEE 802.16e -Assessment Markets and Technologies
• Market Opportunity: Super WiFi
• Nigeria - Broadband and Internet Market, Digital Economy
• The Future of 4G Technologies: New Opportunities and Changing Business Models for the Emergence of LTE and WiMAX