Telecom Lead America: IHS iSuppli said revenue for
digital microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphones will reach $315
million in 2013, compared to $261 million for the analog MEMS equivalents.
Revenue for digital MEMS microphones is set to
overtake the analog segment next year for the first time ever, driven by their
use in iPad and iPad 2.
Apple once again is setting the pace in the adoption of
innovative new MEMS technologies. Having already established the market for
MEMS accelerators and gyroscopes in the iPhone and iPad lines, Apple now is
leading the transition to digital MEMS microphones by employing them in its
iPad 2 and the new iPad,” said Jérémie Bouchaud, director and senior principal
analyst for MEMS & sensors at IHS.
The market this year still will favor analog MEMS
microphones, which are projected to achieve revenue of $267.4 million compared
to $226.1 for digital. However, digital MEMS will gain the upper hand in 2013
when analog’s share dips below 50 percent.
The top suppliers in 2011 for digital MEMS microphones
included, Knowles, for laptops, tablets and handsets; Analog Devices, for the
iPad 2; Bosch (Akustica), for laptops; STMicroelectronics, to Nokia and also
for laptops; Goertek, to Lenovo; AAC; and BSE.
Last year, Akustica introduced a competitive digital MEMS
microphone with a 30 percent die size reduction, which helped the company to
increase its share in the laptop business from 4 percent in 2010 to 15 percent
in 2011, grabbing share away from Knowles at customers such as Hewlett-Packard.
STMicroelectronics, already the No. 1 supplier of
accelerometers to Nokia, started to deliver MEMS microphones to the Finnish
original equipment manufacturer in 2011 and became the top source within one
year ahead of Knowles. As a result, Knowles-share of digital MEMS microphone
market revenue fell to 59 percent in 2011, down from 81 percent in 2010.
According to Juniper Research, revenues
generated by MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) devices built into mobile
phones including sensors, audio, displays and RF will exceed $6 billion by
2016.
The growth is happening because the mobile device market
accelerates, including smartphones, tablets, eReaders and Ultrabooks.
