News Article
Noise into the wind
MEMS microphones boom hit headwind in 2007. Mobile phones a key reason in 2006 says The Information Network
Silicon MEMS microphone installations, which doubled between 2005 and 2006 to reach 20% of mobile phones manufactured, stalled in 2007, according to the report “Silicon Microphones and Speakers: Technology, Market Analysis, and End-Applications,” recently published by The Information Network, a New Tripoli, PA based market research company.
“The Silicon Microphone market grew only 12.4% in 2007 to 238 million units,” noted Dr. Robert Castellano, president of The Information Network. A key factor was the large drop in the annual growth of cell phones and converged devices, which grew only 13.4% in 2007 compared to 23.1% growth in 2008.”
Strong growth in Bluetooth played another key factor in the slowdown in silicon microphone incorporation in cell phones and converged devices. Bluetooth headsets don’t need the smaller footprint of the MEMS microphones, whereas cell phones are jam packed with electronics for talk, music, and GPS. The low cost of Bluetooth headsets requires a low bill of materials, and standard electret microphones can be priced as low as 10% of the cost of MEMs microphones.
Nearly 82% of shipments in 2007 were for cell phones; the remaining nearly 18% in consumer applications such as digital cameras, MP3 players, and PDAs. In 2007, we also witnessed the incorporation of 2 million MEMS microphones into notebook computers.
“In 2008 we will see a small percentage of silicon microphones going into call centre and office headset equipmets and hearing aids, but overall growth again will be stymied by a drop in the cell phone and converged devices market, which we anticipate will register only an 11.1% gain,” added Dr. Castellano.
“The Silicon Microphone market grew only 12.4% in 2007 to 238 million units,” noted Dr. Robert Castellano, president of The Information Network. A key factor was the large drop in the annual growth of cell phones and converged devices, which grew only 13.4% in 2007 compared to 23.1% growth in 2008.”
Strong growth in Bluetooth played another key factor in the slowdown in silicon microphone incorporation in cell phones and converged devices. Bluetooth headsets don’t need the smaller footprint of the MEMS microphones, whereas cell phones are jam packed with electronics for talk, music, and GPS. The low cost of Bluetooth headsets requires a low bill of materials, and standard electret microphones can be priced as low as 10% of the cost of MEMs microphones.
Nearly 82% of shipments in 2007 were for cell phones; the remaining nearly 18% in consumer applications such as digital cameras, MP3 players, and PDAs. In 2007, we also witnessed the incorporation of 2 million MEMS microphones into notebook computers.
“In 2008 we will see a small percentage of silicon microphones going into call centre and office headset equipmets and hearing aids, but overall growth again will be stymied by a drop in the cell phone and converged devices market, which we anticipate will register only an 11.1% gain,” added Dr. Castellano.
