MORE THAN 294 MILLION consumer electronic (CE) devices with Wi-Fi were shipped in 2007, according to research firm In-Stat.
In-Stat also noted that the annual growth rate for CE Wi-Fi devices through 2012 will be 26%; and that by 2011, cellular/Wi-Fi handsets will surpass mobile PCs as the large category of Wi-Fi devices.
“Digital TV will be the second largest category of CE stationary devices shipping with Wi-Fi," said In-Stat analyst Victoria Fodale. “The sheer volume of digital TV shipments will make it a strong market, despite a relatively low Wi-Fi attach rate.”
The research refers to Wi-Fi as a “valuable Swiss army knife” because of its large installed base in mobile PC and home network, along with its flexible and mature ecosystem.
