February 2, 2012 — Consumer electronics (CE) devices are shifting from specific functions to multiple functions and Internet connectivity, creating an overlap of features and functions between product categories not only in the mobile segment, but also in other CE devices like digital TVs and set top boxes. This entire category is morphing into a larger "smart devices" grouping. These devices are increasingly sharing the same silicon components, operating systems, and application software.
There are three leading platforms in the mobile segment: smartphones, tablets, and notebooks PCs. New NPD In-Stat research forecasts that this category of mobile “magnet platforms” will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.7% through 2015, well above the 8.7% predicted for the overall mobile market.
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Mobile electronics is the largest and fastest-growing segment of the entire electronics market, said Jim McGregor, chief technology strategist at NPD In-Stat. CPU vendors have transitioned from PC performance driven to mobile performance efficiency, using the resulting products to drive advancements in other forms of computing including desktop PCs, servers, and embedded applications. Richer content, network access for communications and content, increased bandwidth to enable this access, and new technologies form "a self-sustaining circle of innovation that feeds from and enables each factor," said McGregor.
NPD In-Stat found that 40% of the mobile system on chip (SoC) total available market (TAM) used at least one dedicated GPU in 2011. Both the number of SoCs using GPUs and the number of GPU cores per SoC is increasing throughout the forecast period. The mobile SoC TAM will exceed 3.1 billion devices in 2015.
Intel and Imagination lead the GPU market because of their dominance in PCs and smartphones, respectively. Combined, the two are projected to comprise 61.3% of the GPU technology mobile serviceable available market in 2011.
Smartphones will increase from just under 20% of total handsets in 2010 to 43% in 2015.
New NPD In-Stat research, Mobile Graphics: Smartphones Beat the Drum to Which All Markets March (#IN1105075SI), provides a comprehensive look at the graphics, or GPUs, with a strong emphasis on the integrated or intellectual property (IP) solutions that are available for mobile consumer electronic (CE) devices. NPD In-Stat’s market intelligence combines technical, market and end-user research and database models to analyze the Mobile Internet and Digital Entertainment ecosystems. For more information, visit www.in-stat.com.