Mar 20 2008
Mobile handset components are facing their toughest challenge yet, which is to aid in portability, miniaturization, power-efficiency and at the same time be cost-effective. With increasing data usage on mobiles, the pressure for better performing displays, batteries, processors, RF, antennas and memories is greater than it has ever been. These challenges have heralded the emergence of nanotechnology-enabled mobile handset components, which can provide incremental improvements in the performance of a wireless handset.
As nanotechnology aids in improving the performance of wireless handsets, the market for nanotech-enabled wireless components is expected to grow rapidly. Pioneer Consulting’s latest report, entitled “Nanotechnology in Wireless Handsets” forecasts that the market for nanotech-enabled components in wireless handsets will grow at a CAGR of 70% between 2007 and 2012 and will reach $15 billion by the end of 2012. Amongst the various handset components, the largest market share will be for batteries followed by displays, processors and memories. According to the report, the only components that are currently using nanotechnology include RF and display modules, while the other components will undergo a phased introduction between now and 2012.
Senior Analyst of the Emerging Wireless Practice at Pioneer Consulting, Aditya Kaul says that, “Although the short-term investments required for introducing nanotechnology into handset components are huge, the stakeholders in the handset industry will need to focus on the long-term advantages that nanotechnology has to offer”. Kaul adds, “The cost-benefit analysis of the various nanoprocesses and nanomaterials leads us to believe that improved performance of handset components outweighs the initial investment risks taken by stakeholders. In the long-run, the incremental process and material improvements coupled with the large economies of scale will lead to lower Bill of Material costs, allowing for a subsequent Return on Investment.
Some of the nano processes and materials included in the report are carbon nanotubes, buckyballs/fullerenes, spintronics and quantum dots. Other product-specific nanomaterials included are hydrocarbon fuel membranes, electron based LEDs and bulk acoustic oscillators. These nanoprocesses and materials are categorized within specific functional blocks of the handset and across the various stakeholders in the mobile handset value chain.