Antennas for Systems and Devices: Technologies and Global Markets -- Focus on The Americas

Report Highlights

Report Includes

• An overview of the global market and technologies for antennas for systems and devices, with a focus on the Americas
• Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2011, estimates for 2012, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2017
• Discussion of antenna applications in different sectors, their benefits, their limitations, and their prospects in qualitative and quantitative terms
• Identification of different classification criteria: technologies (flat panel/medium-range directive antennas, miniature without fractal, miniature fractal, medium-gain directional antenna, high-gain reflector, and smart antennas), and materials (metal, ceramic, PTFE, and electrified gas)
• A breakdown of the antenna market for each of the sectors (aviation, telematics, TV/radio infrastructure and user equipment, satellite communication infrastructure, mobile phones, wireless telecommunications infrastructure, computing applications, medical applications, defense and surveillance applications and residential/industrial/commercial premises and user devices) along with antenna technologies and materials
• Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.
• Classifications of patents based on end-user applications.

INTRODUCTION

Antennas are integral components of radios.  Their operating principle is very simple: conversion between electrical energy and radiation.  The simplicity of this principle has relegated antennas to the periphery of the active and innovative telecommunications research domain.  For close to a century after antennas were invented, antenna technology was in the slow lane of evolution while other components such as basebands, modems, codecs and processors among others witnessed frantic development that led to superior performance.  It is the advent of mobile devices that heralded the change in outlook of the industry towards antennas.  Mobile devices have forced the industry to concentrate on form factor and power management apart from performance.  These considerations amplified the research thrust on antennas as they had to conform to the limitations regarding form factor and power management.  Wireless sensors are a progression of this approach wherein power management and form factor attain greater criticality.

Mobility also ushered in a boom in Internet access.  Increased appetite for rich media applications has set off a race in the development of wireless standards that support such data transfer quantities.  These demands cannot be met unless antennas are geared to handle the traffic.  The development of smart antennas is an answer to such increasing demands.

It is important to highlight the role of end-use applications in determining the market prospects and technology development dynamic of antennas.  Antennas are staggering in the diversity of frequencies served, material employed, forms assumed, power managed and range covered.  End applications play a defining role in finalizing antenna specifications and pricing.  The vast device-base that employs antennas has resulted in an extremely fragmented market with literally thousands of vendors.  Purposeful innovation requires capital, and those with deep pockets are often in the custody of the end-device makers themselves.  It is not surprising to witness original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) engaged actively in antenna research and development.

The multiplicity of influencing factors and the disorganized nature of players involved make it challenging to render a snapshot of the antenna market.  This report attempts to capture the essence of this simple but diversely employed component.

STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

This study’s goals and objectives include the following activities in regard to antennas:

• Forecast the market size in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Classify the market size by key classification criteria in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Classify the market size by antenna technology in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Classify the market size by material in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Classify the market size by end-use application in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Classify the market size by geographical regions in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Identify the market size in key countries in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Classify the market size in individual end-use applications by antenna technology in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Classify the market size in individual end-use applications by material in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Classify the market size in individual end-use applications by geographical regions in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Highlight the roles played by major stakeholders and players.
• Provide an overview of the activities of influential companies.
• Examine crucial, innovative breakthroughs by means of a detailed patent analysis.

REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY

Antennas, in many ways, are the cradle of wireless telecommunications.  As wireless communications continues to break newer grounds, antennas follow.  While most market studies cover specific aspects of the antenna market based on technology employed or end-use application catered, it is important to present a unified, comprehensive picture covering all mainstream antenna technologies and markets.  This report achieves this objective.  Additionally, the report delves into the dynamics of 19 leading country markets and establishes the correlation of antenna prospects with that of the larger economies in those countries.  The report also highlights the role played by innovation through a comprehensive patent analysis and brings out the close correlation between OEMs employing antennas and antenna research and technology.

The report quantifies the market for smart antennas—considered as the single most important innovation of the decade.  It also places in context the role played by wireless sensors in shaping the antenna market.

The report examines the antenna market under the following key parameters:

• Antenna technologies.
• Materials.
• End-use applications.
• Regional dynamics.
• Key markets within countries.
• Changes in average selling prices (ASPs).

SCOPE OF THE REPORT

This report presents the forecasts for antennas for 2012 through 2017 on a volume and value basis.

Sales values are presented in U.S. dollars, while shipment volumes are presented in million units.

These forecasts are further broken down by antenna technology, antenna material, end-use application and geographical region.

The report covers the following antenna technologies:

• Flat panel/short-range antenna.
• Patch, miniature, embedded and other low power antenna.
• Fractal antenna.
• Medium gain antenna.
• High gain reflector antenna.
• Smart antenna.

Breakdown of materials includes:

• Metallic.
• Others.

Breakdown by end-use applications includes:

• Aviation.
• Telematics.
• Television (TV)/radio infrastructure and user equipment.
• Satellite communication infrastructure.
• Mobile phones.
• Wireless telecommunications infrastructure.
• Computing applications.
• Medical applications.
• Defense and Surveillance applications.
• Residential/industrial/commercial premises and user devices.

The regional breakdown focuses on the following geographical areas:

• The Americas.
• Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
• Asia-Pacific (APAC).

Country-specific analyses are included for the following countries:

• Brazil.
• Canada.
• China.
• France.
• Germany.
• India.
• Indonesia.
• Israel.
• Italy.
• Japan.
• Mexico.
• Netherlands.
• Russian Federation.
• South Africa.
• South Korea.
• Spain.
• Turkey.
• United Kingdom.
• United States.

The Executive Summary chapter provides a snapshot of the dollar sales and shipment volumes for the overall antenna market.

The Global Markets for Antennas: Breakdown by Technologies, Material and End-Use Applications chapter introduces the antenna with key concepts central to understanding its functioning.  It also introduces wireless sensors and explains their impact on the prospects of antennas.  It then analyzes the different classification criteria: technologies, materials, geographical regions and verticals.  In conclusion, it provides a snapshot of the end-user application sector classification.

The End-Use Application-Specific Analysis chapter breaks down the antenna market for each of the end-use applications along antenna technologies, antenna materials and geographical regions.  The chapter will thus provide the reader with an in-depth view of the dynamics of individual end-use applications vis-à-vis antenna prospects.

The Regional Analysis chapters take a closer look at the antenna market for the various regions highlighted in this report.

The Major Participants in the Antenna Industry chapter identifies the major categories of stakeholders involved in the development and commercialization of antenna technology.

The U.S. Patent Analysis chapter covers innovations that impact antenna systems.  Patents are categorized in terms of end-applications and technology as well as on the basis of allocation by year, assignee countries and assignee organizations.

INTENDED AUDIENCE

This report provides a granular analysis of the market for antennas.  This report:

• Breaks down the market by parameter measured in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Breaks down the market by antenna technology in terms dollars and unit sales.
• Breaks down the market by material in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Breaks down the market by end-use application in terms of dollars and unit sales.  It further breaks down the volume and value sales of individual end-use markets by antenna technology, material and geographical regions.
• Breaks down the market by geographical region in terms of dollars and unit sales.
• Identifies the market size of key markets within countries in terms of dollars and unit sales.

The report will be of value to the following industry players:

• Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and contract manufacturers of antenna systems and components in identifying the size and regional distribution of the antenna market.
• OEMs of products that embed antennas in understanding the technology and material pricing trends for antennas in their sector.
• Service providers and network designers in knowing the prospects of specific antennas in their domain.
• Semiconductor device makers.
• Wireless chipset makers.
• End users and distributors.
• Academic and research institutions.
• Financial institutions.

METHODOLOGY

Both primary and secondary research methodologies were used in preparing this report.  BCC Research presents an analysis across the global market for antennas based on reported revenue dollars and units shipped.  We also analyzed data gathered from various research sources via the Internet.  Interviews were conducted with well-placed industry sources.

INFORMATION SOURCES

The following sources have been referenced:

• Primary research, including interviews with experts from companies operating in the handset and waveform domains.
• Published industry data.
• Shipment reports of nonlisted companies.
• 10-K reports.

AUTHOR CREDENTIALS

Shalini Ramamurthy has extensive experience analyzing and evaluating advanced information technology including telecommunications and optical networks.  She holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics and Telecommunications from Kumaraguru College of Technology in Coimbatore, India, as well as a Master of Science degree in Telecommunications and Software Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

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DISCLAIMER

The information developed in this report is intended to be as reliable as possible at the time of publication and of a professional nature.  This information does not constitute managerial, legal or accounting advice, nor should it serve as a corporate policy guide, laboratory manual or an endorsement of any product, as much of the information is of a speculative in nature.  The author assumes no responsibility for any loss or damage that might result from reliance on the reported information or from its use.