Indepth analysis of cellular handset and chip markets 2011

DUBLIN, IRELAND: Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Cellular Handset & Chip Markets 2011: An In-Depth Analysis of Cell phones & Their Chips" report to its offering.

Cellular handset shipments grew a healthy 12 percent in 2010 to 1.5-billion units. That in comparison with 2009's negative 1.3 percent growth. We predict a strong, but more traditional growth in 2011 of 4.3 percent, but smartphones will continue to do better, growing 15.4 percent to the 318 million level this year. The report provides extensive forecasts for all handset types and virtually all cellphone chips through 2015.

This is likely the most extensive market analysis of both handsets and chips available. While others concentrate on tracking the top six handset companies, we track the top 34. And, we track each of those handset companies' shipments by air interface (GSM/HSPA/CDMA/etc.).

Though Samsung and Apple are growing faster, Nokia continues to be the leading handset vendor. However, Nokia's average handset selling price is among the lowest because of their huge share of the low-end markets in China, India and Africa. Nokia still reigns as the largest vendor of smartphones, but smartphone vendor Apple is catching up.

This extensive (654-page) market study covers cellular handsets, the integrated circuits that enable those devices and the vendors of both. We don't just track basebands and application processors, we also track and forecast RF transceivers, power amplifiers, power management units, Wi-Fi, GPS, AM/FM, Bluetooth, audio codecs, image sensors, display controllers, MEMS, Sensors, NFC, ultra-low-cost modems of all types and more. Our informed views on the global market and trends will be of great benefit in your long-term planning. We provide vendor market shares for virtually all cellphone chip types.

Of course, the buzz is now about fourth-generation cellular, in the form of LTE (Long Term Evolution). We devote much of the report to LTE and forecast both handsets and integrated circuits for it, as well.

The cellphone continues to be the physical and market magnet that is pulling in the functionality of digital cameras, PDAs, MP3 players, GPS navigators, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AM/FM Radio, mobile TV, smart cards and fingerprint sensors. It is important to understand that the cellphone is quickly becoming the dominant market for virtually all of these functions.