WIRELESS HIGH-DEFINITION technologies represent the next frontier in consumer electronic connectivity, according to a new report from In-Stat.
Replacing the nest of wires in the living room with high-bandwidth wireless technologies capable of transmitting HD video streams, the primary candidate technologies include wireless home digital interface (WHDI), WirelessHD, and Wireless Gigabit (WiGig).
While these technologies are estimated to be several years away from hitting the sweet spot of the consumer electronics (CE) and PC markets, the report Wireless HD Video Technology: WHDI and WirelessHD Establish Market, While WiGig Establishes Specification predicts that the five-year forecast is bright. In fact manufacturers like LG Electronics, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Sharp, and Sony are already offering models boasting wireless HD.
“Although slow progress best describes the fate of wireless HD chip vendors in 2010, the five-year outlook is for a robust triple-digit annual growth rate,” said principal analyst Brian O’Rourke, in a press release. “Most semiconductor players pursuing this space plan to move out from HDTVs to other CE devices, like set-top boxes, blue laser players and recorders, and digital cameras.”
The report also found that:
– The number of wireless HD video-enabled device shipments will rise from the current levels to approach 13 million by 2014;
– Alternative video transmission technologies, WHDI, WirelessHD, and WiGig, are vying for a dominant position. Among the differentiating factors are whole-home range, price and performance, single source, and time-to-market issues;
– Strong competitive technologies include various flavours of Wi-Fi, Intel’s Wireless Display (WiDi) initiative, and Sony’s TransferJet;
– WirelessHD is championed by chipmaker SiBeam and backed by NEC, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, and LG;
– WHDI (backed by AMIMON) and WirelessHD device shipments will grow at triple-digit annual percentage rates through 2014; and
– WiGig Alliance members include: Broadcom, Dell, Intel, LG Electronics, Microsoft, NEC, Nokia, NXP, Panasonic, and Samsung.
