Wi-Fi chipset vendors will ship one billion units in 2011, according to the latest report from ABI Research. By the end of 2012, a cumulative five billion chipsets will have been sold since the firm began tracking them in 2000. Wi-Fi is the most commonly used wireless technology for local area networks, creating the basis for a number of vehicle-related telematics and other data systems.
Wi-Fi is penetrating an ever-widening array of devices, notes ABI. Wi-Fi chipset shipments are forecast to total well over 100 million just for smartphones this year, while netbooks, and a variety of consumer electronics devices such as portable media players, TVs, and cameras equipped with the wireless networking technology will become increasingly important market segments.
In the near term, says ABI research practice director Philip Solis, “802.11n will be the dominant protocol shipped during 2010, and there will be no looking back as single stream 11n chipsets (those not employing MIMO technologies) increasingly replace 802.11g products.”
For those ready to seriously dip into the world of Wi-Fi, the 4G Wireless Evolution Conference is scheduled for September 1-3 in Los Angeles, CA. According to show sponsors, the event will “delve into the key issues facing the evolution to a 4G, all IP, wireless network. The event will educate carriers and wireless industry professionals on the applications, technology alternatives, time frames, opportunities and challenges in the new age of mobile broadband.”
