Cellular applications dominate PA market
At the close of 2003, the overall market for GaAs and silicon wireless power transistors, including SiGe, was just short of $2 billion. ABI expects the total PA market to fluctuate between $1.9 billion and $2.0 billion throughout the forecast period.
However, by 2008 the market for power amplifiers in cellular handsets and infrastructure applications is set to decrease to only 49% of the total market.
Most of this decline will be offset by gains in other markets, including Wi Fi (wireless local area networks), broadband wireless technologies such as WiMAX/802.16, military applications and radar/avionics. Collectively these segments will represent the remaining 51% of the market in 2008.
“Though many niche opportunities exist in this marketplace, the real bread and butter will continue to be cellular,” said ABI Research’s Edward Rerisi. “Despite a declining share, markets for cellular power amplifiers are characterized by global standards and global ubiquity making this segment the most contested.
“If a company can develop a stronghold in the market for handset or infrastructure amplifiers, they can leverage this strength to push into the emerging areas, potentially thwarting competition.”
The findings are described in ABI Research s latest report, "RF Power Devices: Transistors, ICs, Power Modules and New Materials,” which covers GaAs MMICs and discretes and silicon power transistors. Also examined are the prospects of emerging materials, including SiGe and GaN.
