The global gallium arsenide (GaAs) components market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 4% during the forecast period, according to Technavio’s latest report.

In this report, Technavio covers the market outlook and growth prospects of the global GaAs components market for 2017-2021. By end-users, this market is divided into mobile devices and wireless communications segments.

The global GaAs components market is expected to grow to USD 9.13 billion by 2021, with over 54% of the revenue being generated from the mobile devices segment. The quickly developing 3G and 4G networks are enabling the quick growth of the market segment.

The rising adoption of smartphones and tablets is acting as a major driving factor for this market, with number of smartphone shipments expected to hit 2 billion by 2020. This growth in number of shipments will drive the demand for GaAs components used in mobile handsets, particularly GaAs power amplifiers.

Technavio’s research study segments the global GaAs components market into the following regions:

• APAC
• Americas
• EMEA

APAC: largest GaAs component market segment

“APAC is the global leader in the market, accounting for almost 78% of the total market revenue in 2016. The market dominance is primarily because of the high demand for GaAs components from communication device manufacturers in the region. Also, increasing demand for power applications, along with high-growth economies, is a major driver of the GaAs components market in the region,” says Sunil Kumar Singh, one of the lead analysts at Technavio for embedded systems research.

The increasing smartphone penetration in developing countries and rapidly developing wireless infrastructure are driving the high adoption of GaAs components in the region. Companies such as Samsung, LG, HTC, and Sony are investing heavily to launch better smartphones, which is compatible with 3G/4G technologies. These new-generation mobile phones integrate three to four times more power amplifiers when compared to previous generation smartphones, which means increased demand for GaAs components.

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Americas: expansion of 4G networks driving GaAs components market the region

Analysts at Technavio forecast the Americas to showcase a CAGR of 4.31% during the forecast period, of which most of the growth will be driven by the expansion of 4G networks in the region. North America is witnessing rapid expansion of its 4G network to make an easier transition to the upcoming 5G network. Apple and Skyworks Solutions are among the biggest consumers of GaAs components for their application in mobile power amplifiers.

GaAs components also find wide application in radar and defense systems. Currently, the US Department of Defense(DoD) is investing significantly in GaAs components to improve the efficiency of its current radar applications. Additionally, GaAs components are expected to attract demand from the military sector, thereby boosting the revenue contribution from the region.

EMEA: high demand from the automotive industry

“The GaAs components saw maximum adoption from the thriving automotive industry in the region. The region will also invest in the adoption of LEDs for the general lighting and automotive sectors, all of which consume GaAs components. In the defense sector, UMS, an MMIC solution provider from the UK, creates a significant demand for GaAs components,” says Sunil.

The different domains of defense – radar, communication, and smart ammunition are supplied with designs done by UMS or their customers and are based on the UMS technology platform. However, this region will grow at a slower rate when compared to the other two segments as most semiconductor foundries and manufacturing units are present in APAC and the Americas.

The top vendors in the global GaAs market highlighted in the report are:

• Skyworks Solutions
• Qorvo
• Broadcom