ABI predicts rise in power amplifier prices
The advent of new wireless communication standards, such as EDGE and W-CDMA, will halt rapid falls in the average selling prices of power amplifiers (PAs), says market analyst-firm ABI Research.
ABI believes that the latest standards, which have more stringent linearity requirements, will drive up handset PA prices. Alan Varghese, ABI's principal analyst of semiconductor research, explains that vendors are using innovative methods including adaptive pre-distortion and switching-amplifier techniques to increase efficiency without sacrificing linearity.
Increasing PA prices would buck the recent trend that has seen a combination of cellular operator negotiating clout and intense vendor price competition drive down PA prices year-on-year.
That would be good news for GaAs IC manufacturers who have struggled to make big profits, despite booming handset sales.
Varghese also notes that for infrastructure applications, silicon-based LDMOS components are facing increased competition from GaN, a technology that's "finally getting on the runway".
ABI adds that even if news surrounding cellular markets is disconcerting, there will still be growth opportunities in areas such as broadband wireless, WiMAX, WLANs and Ultrawideband.
More information is provided in ABI's latest report: "RF Power Semiconductors: Transistors, FETs, ICs and Power Modules"
