December 15, 2008

WiMAX Laptop Clients and Embedded Mobile PCs will Drive the Device Market

When it comes to portable/mobile devices, the bulk of early WiMAX device shipments will be in the form of external laptop clients and embedded mobile PCs, reports In-Stat http://www.in-stat.com .  Growth in both external clients and laptops will benefit from the lower cost of the technology compared to cellular, and in some cases, lack of service contracts, the high-tech market research firm says. In-Stat believes these devices will attract both monthly subscribers and session-based users.

WiMAX will grow by meeting pent-up demand and offering users a lower cost alternative to existing services. There will be different classes of operator control over devices. Despite what some technology advocates have said, not all WiMAX devices will follow the Wi-Fi model of full consumer ownership and control.

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

• Annual WiMAX device shipments will break the 10 million mark in 2010.
  
• Future trends with WiMAX devices are multi-band radios and chipsets that support both LTE and WiMAX.
  
• Challenges to WiMAX device growth are current 3G services, LTE, and the current economic climate.

This Market Alert is drawn from the In-Stat research,  Devices Take Center Stage: The Global Outlook for WiMAX Devices (#IN0804004WBB), which covers the worldwide market for WiMAX-equipped devices. It provides forecasts for WiMAX subscriptions and several categories of WiMAX devices. Analysis of device markets, including the strategies of key players, is provided.

For more information on this research or to purchase it online, please visit: http://www.instat.com/catalog/wcatalogue.asp?id=281 or contact a sales representative: http://www.instat.com/sales.asp

The price is $2,995 (US).

This research is part of In-Stat’s Wireless Broadband Evolution service. Broadband wireless data connectivity provides the key enabler for new mobility applications and services, which can offer enormous value to mobile consumer and business users. Wi-Fi, WiMAX, 3G/ 4G and other wireless technologies compete and complement each other to provide the connectivity for these services. The Wireless Broadband Evolution service provides actionable intelligence regarding the role that each technology may play in the growing wireless broadband market. Covering market and technology developments, operator deployments and end-user adoption, this service includes primary research from the entire value chain including technology developers, equipment manufacturers, service providers and business and consumer end-users.

Related In-Stat research:

The Road to 4G: LTE and WiMAX Lead the Way Worldwide

Waiting for WiMAX—US Consumers Want More From Wireless Broadband

About In-Stat

In-Stat’s market intelligence combines technical, market and end-user research and database models to analyze the Mobile Internet and Digital Entertainment ecosystems. Our insights are derived from a deep understanding of technology impacts, nearly 30 years of history in research and consulting, and direct relationships with leading players in each of our core markets. In-Stat provides its research through reports, annual subscriptions, consulting and advisory services to inform critical decisions. Technology and semiconductor vendors, infrastructure and device manufacturers, service providers and media companies worldwide rely on partnerships with In-Stat’s tenured, experienced staff and on our in-depth market intelligence to support critical business, product and technology decisions.

In-Stat is a strategic segment of the $9 billion Reed Elsevier global information network, with access to an expansive worldwide electronic network, extensive technology databases and well-informed personnel. As a member of Reed Business Information, In-Stat is a division of the largest business-to-business publisher in the U.S.