IC Market Drivers

Introduction

To better understand the IC market, you need to understand the end-use applications!  The IC market remains closely linked to the health of the electronic systems industry. As global economies continue to recover, demand for electronic systems will increase with an expanding number of end-use applications providing the stimulus for IC market growth. IC Market Drivers—A Study of Emerging and Major End-Use Applications Fueling Demand for Integrated Circuits—helps identify opportunities for growth and evaluates the potential for new applications that are expected to fuel the market for integrated circuits through 2017.

Internet-capable converging technologies and mobile electronic systems will keep demand for ICs strong through 2017!

• Tablet and Ultrabook PCs—Demand continues to surge for Table PCs and anticipation is building for new Ultrabook PCs. What is the future market direction for these systems and how will their growth impact traditional PC sales?  What IC content will be required in these different systems.
• Smartphones—Smartphones remain by far the fastest growing segment of the cellphone market! IC content represents about 31% of the average selling price of a smartphone, whereas IC content in a basic cellphone is 23%. The success of 3G/4G smartphones is set to continue having a big impact on the future analog, DSP, logic, and NAND flash memory IC markets.
• Digital TVs—Internet capability has replaced 3D as the must have technology in 2014. Despite "upgrade fatigue," consumers are drawn to Internet-connected Smart TVs, a favorite trend for suppliers of LED drivers, power management ICs, and MCUs/MPUs, which are expected to be big winners in this market segment.
• Smart Grids and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)—Home appliances and other residential electrical systems are being designed to interact and communicate with power-utility companies and customers via the Internet. Global investment in smart grid technology is forecast to grow 19% annually through 2016.
• The "Internet of Things"—Virtual representation of uniquely identifiable objects with an Internet-like structure (IP address) has been gaining momentum for more than a decade with no slowdown in sight. RFID is at the heart of this far-reaching trend

PART I: Extensive IC End-Use Database

In Part I, IC Insights presents an extensive 2011-2017 IC end-use application database. Data is arranged in several formats---by electronic system type (computer, communications, consumer, automotive, industrial, and government/military), by device type (microcontrollers, memory, analog, logic, etc.), and by geographic region (Americas, Europe, Japan, and Asia-Pacific).

Extensive IC End-Use Database (2011-2017)

• By Electronic System Type
• By IC Device Type
• By Geographic Region

PART II: Analyses of End-Use Applications

Part II explores specific electronic systems that are expected to play prominent roles in the IC industry over the next several years.

Analyses of Key Markets for ICs

• Computers (incl. tablets, standard PCs, servers, and cloud computing)
• Wireless Networking (incl. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi)
• Cellphones (incl. 3G/4G, mobile TV, smartphones)
• Automotive Electronics (incl. hybrids and electric vehicles)
• Smart-power Grid, Meters, and Home Appliances
• Medical and Health Electronics
• Smart TVs, STBs, and Video Game Consoles
• Overview of promising new applications

                                         ...and more!

Included in the section are analysis of wireless networking, cellphones, entertainment appliances such as video game consoles, digital TVs, personal and portable computing systems, smart-power grid and smart meters, GPS, smartcards, RFID, and automotive electronics.

Historical developments and future expectations that will make these markets attractive for IC vendors are highlighted and discussed.