News

5 August 2010

 

Skyworks maintains lead in power amplifier market share

The rapid resurgence in handset production pushed the power amplifier (PA) market to more than $2.4bn in 2009, driving the two largest suppliers Skyworks Solution Inc of Woburn, MA and RF Micro Device Inc of Greensboro, NC, USA, according to the report ‘Skyworks Maintains Power Amp Share Lead’ from the Strategy Analytics RF & Wireless Component market research service, which explores changes in the handset and cellular device PA market brought about by the economic slowdown and consequent contraction in cellphone shipments.

Led by success in GSM/GPRS/EDGE, Skyworks maintained its number one position, which it took over from RFMD in 2008. However, RFMD remains the leading supplier of W-CDMA PAs.

“It is gratifying to see last year’s prediction play out, as the acquisition of CMOS PA supplier Axiom Micro Devices helped Skyworks maintain share in the recession-resistant low-cost segment of the market,” says Christopher Taylor, director of Strategy Analytics’ RF and Wireless Components service. “At the same time, demand for ultra-low-cost and grey-market GPRS handsets expanded rapidly, helping all vendors, but particularly boosting RDA Microelectronics [of Shanghai, China] out of obscurity,” he adds.

“Compound semiconductor-based PAs will continue as the enabling technology for the high-growth 3G and emerging 4G markets,” comments Asif Anwar, director of the Strategy Analytics GaAs and High Speed Semiconductor service.

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