Abstract
Semiconductor components in handsets are the largest semiconductor market in
the world by volume, if not in total revenue. Because handset semiconductors
are produced in such high volumes, there are very strong price pressures in
this market to keep prices low, but, at the same time, cellular service
providers always want the latest features in their handsets so that they can
continue to attract new subscribers. This conflict between cost and the latest
features makes it even more difficult for handset semiconductor manufacturers
and handset manufacturers to know what feature mix to pursue.
This report was created with this problem in mind, as it includes the results
of a primary research study about what cellular features subscribers are
looking for in their handsets, in addition to forecasts for both core and
feature semiconductors in handsets. The report contains worldwide forecasts
for Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, cameras, and mobile TV tuners and demodulators,
including units, ASPs, and revenues. In addition, this report contains units,
ASPs, and revenues, forecasted by phone technology, for a handset' s core
chipset. Functional breakouts of revenue are also included for power
management, audio, SRAM, Flash, analog/digital baseband, and IF/RF sections.