Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/57248
Smartphones, Tablets Overtaking Market R esearch and consulting firm Jon Peddie Research (JPR) predicted in a new study on mobile devices that 80% of Smartphones will have stereo 3D cameras and screens by 2015. And, it's not just about games; the addition of two cameras will enable gesture-based controls, advanced augmented-reality applications, and visualization with depth. Based on its research, JPR believes that just as cameras and GPS became mainstays of mobile phones and tablets, the next must-have feature for mobile devices will be stereovision 3D (S3D). Smartphones and tablets may not be the only mobile devices to embrace S3D, however. JPR looked at several mobile devices that use advanced semiconduc- tors, or systems on a chip (SoC), and found that the demand for mobile devices has exploded, creating a market for over two billion processors. As a result, JPR found that by 2016: n Over three quarters of a billion smart- phones will ship. n Feature and other phones will hit 869 million units. n Almost 300 million tablets will ship. n E-book readers shipments could reach 100 million a year. n Handheld game consoles will hit 91 million. Total Market (in million units worldwide) From Jon Peddie Research 2,000 1,800 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Mobile games consoles, CAGR 2010-2016: 42.5% Tablet, CAGR 2010-2016: 66.8% E-book nominal, CAGR 2012-2016: 40.2% Other phones, CAGR 2010-2016: 2.6% Smartphones, CAGR 2010-2016: 20.2% Smartphones and tablets will account for more than 50% of the market. In order to support 3D, processors will need to be powerful. JPR says the proces- sors powering these new mobile devices will be truly amazing, consuming remark- ably little power, built in the latest nanome- ter technology, and delivering unbelievable Ansys 14 Debuts A nsys has launched the newest release of its engineering simulation technology suite, Ansys 14.0, which includes a plethora of new, advanced features that make it easier, faster, and less costly for organizations to bring new products to market. The product delivers new benefits in three major areas: leveraging engineering resources to automate user-intensive opera- tions, simulating complex systems to mimic those in the real world, and driving innovation with high-performance computing (HPC) by capitalizing on modern hardware advancements to deliver fast, complex simulation calculations. 2015 2016 performance and func- tionality. And although all the devices will share some functionality and capabilities, no single device will kill any of the others—at least imme- diately. Each device will have a different form, primary function, and price. They will be connected all the time. More than 16 proces- sor firms and four IP suppliers will be chasing this market. Compared to the four or five processor companies chasing the PC market, that makes the mobile processor market over- populated by four to one. Is a consolidation coming? Are there too many suppliers chasing the same customers? The market study includes a historical perspective that illustrates the sharp growth devices have enjoyed recently. For example, the first stand-alone tablet was the GRiDPad in 1989. In 2001, Microsoft reinvented the concept, calling it a "pen computer." And then, in 2010, Apple brought the category to life with the iPad. The first smartphone was the IBM Simon in 1992, then Nokia entered the market 1996; since then, the segment has taken off like a rocket. The concept for the e-book came from Michael Heart in 1971, and the first battery powered, stand-alone unit was the Rocket eBook in 1998, but it was the Kindle that lit up the market in 2007. Other popular mobile devices, like game consoles, navigation units, portable DVD players, and digital picture frames, all use high-res screens and sophisti- cated processors known as SoCs. "The 2012 Mobile Devices and their Semiconductors Market Study" is avail- able for $3500 at www.jonpeddie.com. February/March 2012 5