More Than 1 Billion Devices to Have Embedded Wireless Networking Capability in 2011

More Than 1 Billion Devices to Have Embedded Wireless Networking
Capability in 2011 

El Segundo, CA--April 15, 201: Shipments of electronic products with
embedded wireless local area networking technology (WLAN)
will surpass one billion units for the first time ever in 2011
and then rise to more than two billion in 2015, as ubiquitous
connectivity increasingly becomes a standard feature, new IHS iSuppli
research indicates.

Shipments of consumer electronics, computer, communications and
automotive products with built-in WLAN capability such as Wi-Fi will
amount to 1.2 billion units in 2011, up 35.8 percent from 880.4 billion
units in 2010. In 2015, shipments will nearly double from the 2011 level
to reach 2.2 billion, as presented in the attached figure.

"In today's world of connected electronics, consumers expect seamless
access to Internet communications, services and content in any place and
at any time," said Dr. Jagdish Rebello, senior director and principal
analyst for communications and consumer electronics at IHS. "From
sharing Facebook news on their iPads, to viewing Hulu programs on their
flat-panel TVs, to streaming audio and video in cars with their
automotive infotainment systems, consumers depend on built-in WLAN
technology to get the most out of their electronic products. Because of
this, embedded WLAN is becoming the norm for all kinds of devices."

In 2011, 19.7 percent of suitable devices shipped worldwide will have
some form of embedded WLAN, up from 15.6 percent in 2010. By 2015, that
percentage will rise to 28.1 percent.

The penetration of embedded WLAN has risen dramatically in recent years,
expanding from just 1 percent of these devices in 2002.

IHS iSuppli research tracks 28 major categories of electronic products
that are adopting WLAN technology. These devices include PCs, cell
phones, digital cameras and camcorders, home and handheld video game
consoles, televisions, set-top boxes and portable navigation devices. 

Early adopters

Several product categories in 2011 already are expected to have 100
percent penetration for embedded WLAN, including media tablets, access
point/routers and handheld video game consoles. Others are near 100
percent, such as mobile PCs and home video game consoles.

In terms of shipments, cell phones represent the largest category for
embedded WLAN, with 512.8 million units set to ship this year. Mobile
PCs will come in second at 230.1 million units.  

Fast growers

During the next few years, the fastest growth in embedded WLAN will be
generated by other categories of devices.

Leading the way will be automotive electronics head units, whose
embedded WLAN penetration will rise at a compound annual growth rate
(CAGR) of 98.2 percent from 2010 to 2015. The penetration of embedded
WLAN technology in liquid crystal display televisions (LCD TVs) will
rise at a CAGR of 77.8 percent from 2010 to 2015. By the end of 2015, a
significant majority of LCD TVs will include embedded WLAN, up from 2
percent in 2010 and 9 percent in 2011.

Other fast-growing segments in the coming years will be digital
camcorders and still cameras, DVD players and recorders, and e-book
readers.

Learn more about this topic and related developments in this market with
Rebello's report, entitled Evolution of Standards Blurs Lines for
Wireless Connectivity Applications isuppli Auto Info