Wi-Fi chipset sales jumped 26 percent in 2008 to 387 million, according to new statistics released today by the Wi-Fi Alliance and In-Stat. Highlights from the In-Stat findings examining Wi-Fi chipset sales by category:
- Cellular-Wi-Fi Phones: 56 million units shipped (up 52 percent)
- Stationary Consumer Electronic Devices (gaming consoles, digital televisions, set-top boxes, printers): 48 million units shipped (up 51 percent)
- Portable Consumer Electronic Devices (handheld games, cameras, portable music players): 71 million units shipped (up 33 percent)
- Notebook PCs, Mini Notebooks, Ultra Mobile Devices, Mobile Internet Devices: 144 million units shipped (up 23 percent)
For 2009, the Wi-Fi Alliance and In-Stat expect Wi-Fi sales momentum to come from cellular Wi-Fi handsets, portable consumer electronics, home networking, and mobile PCs. All handheld gaming devices shipped in 2009 will have Wi-Fi. Moreover, the 12 percent growth rate predicted in the mobile PC market will be driven by uptake of new alternatives to notebooks known as mobile internet devices or netbooks. These increasingly-popular devices, which all include Wi-Fi, bring internet connectivity and basic computing functions in a smaller, more affordable form factor.
“Wi-Fi has solidified its position as an essential technology for the home and the enterprise in 2008, and we expect our strong growth trajectory to continue,” said Edgar Figueroa, executive director of the Wi-Fi Alliance. “Wi- Fi is a feature that users have come to expect in a wide array of products, and device makers are including Wi-Fi in everything from handsets to mini- notebooks to media players.”http://www.wi-fi.org/