WLAN-enabled product shipments to top 1 billion in 2011

Shipments of CE, computer, communications and automotive products with built-in WLAN capability such as Wi-Fi will amount to 1.2 billion units in 2011, up 35.8 percent from 880.4 million units in 2010. In 2015, shipments will reach 2.2 billion units, the company said.

The devices that are getting enhanced with embedded WLAN include: PCs, cellphones, digital cameras and camcorders, home and handheld video game consoles, televisions, STBs and portable navigation devices.

Several product categories in 2011 are already expected to have 100 percent penetration for embedded WLAN, including media tablets, access point/routers and handheld video game consoles. Others are near 100 percent, such as mobile PCs and home video game consoles.

In terms of shipments, cellphones represent the largest category for embedded WLAN, with 512.8 million units set to ship this year. Mobile PCs will come in second at 230.1 million units.

The WLAN wave is expected to penetrate automotive electronics and LCD TVs. Other fast-growing segments in the coming years will be digital camcorders and still cameras, DVD players and recorders, and e-book readers, IHS said.

- Peter Clarke
??EE Times