Revenue for consumer and mobile microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) will reach $2.25bn in 2011, representing an increase of 27% in 2010 when revenue reached $1.64bn, according to IHS iSuppli Consumer & Mobile MEMS Market Tracker report.
The growth in this largest and most dynamic sector of the MEMS market will be primarily due to increased demand for tablets and smartphones.
The five-year revenue forecast starting from 2010 calls for growth by a factor of nearly three to $4.54 billion in 2015, equivalent to a compound annual growth rate of 22.5 percent, the report said.
A new class of emerging MEMS sensors is stimulating growth, other than the 3-axis gyroscopes, accelerometers, microphones and bulk acoustic wave filters already found in tablets and smartphones.
In this category are devices such as thermopiles, varactors, timing devices, pressure sensors for indoor navigation, radio frequency MEMS switches and actuators used for autofocus functions in high-megapixel cameras and pico projectors.
The IHS report said revenue in 2011 for 3-axis gyroscopes will grow to $420m, up from $127m last year.
The 3-axis gyroscope can be found in smartphones such as the iPhone 4 and the Galaxy SII; and in virtually all tablet devices, including the Apple iPad 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab; as well as in gaming devices like Sony’s PlayStation Move motion controller.
Accelerometers will generate the highest revenue among consumer and MEMS in 2011, followed by gyroscopes.
MEMS revenue for handsets will reach $1.21bn, approximately 50% of the total consumer and mobile MEMS space, followed by gaming with $221.49m in revenue and by media tablets with $158.64m.
MEMS revenue from tablets will grow rapidly by 331% from $36.83m in 2010, and is set to overtake gaming next year.
Unlike gaming, however, nearly all other segments in the space will boast continued growth, including laptops, standalone projectors, cameras, white goods, MP3 players, remote controllers, battery chargers for PCs, toy helicopters, personal navigation devices and ebook readers.
