News Article
Rich Feature Set Is A Key Requirement In Intensively Competitive Microcontrollers Market
MCU manufacturers must offer more than just a wide array of products to lure users away from their current manufacturer or architecture
Intensifying competition compels microcontroller
manufacturers to differentiate their products by promoting factors beyond
performance benefits. The microcontroller market's increasing tilt toward
standard cores such as the ARM and 8051 further propels efforts towards
differentiation.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, World
Microcontrollers Market, finds that the market earned revenues of $14.64
billion in 2007 and estimates this to reach $19.08 billion in 2011.
“As competition increases in the microcontroller market,
manufacturers are expected to reach high performance pinnacles, while achieving
shorter development times, improved functionality, and reduced costs,” says
Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Jayalakshmi Janakiraman. “Integrated
peripherals, on chip memories, and power performance are some of the key
factors that influence the choice of microcontrollers at present.”
The 32bit cores from ARM feature a variety of on chip peripherals,
especially for communications, such as universal serial bus (USB), controller
area network (CAN), as well as I2C interfaces and service provider interface
(SPI). A surge has taken place in the number of microcontrollers that integrate
flash memory because of its clear advantage centred on programmability.
Attempts to differentiate have included 32bit cores from ARM
that feature a variety of on chip peripherals such as universal serial bus
(USB), controller area network (CAN), as well as I2C interfaces and service
provider interface (SPI). In addition, there is a surge in the number of
microcontrollers integrating flash memory, as they have many programming
advantages.
Low power microcontrollers are in demand because of an
increasing focus on energy efficiency. The profusion of battery powered
applications further drives the sales of low power microcontrollers. Low power
is no longer associated with low performance due to the current availability of
powerful processors in this segment.
While 8bit microcontrollers are popular among emerging
applications as well as electromechanical replacements, 16bit microcontroller
units (MCUs) that balance cost and performance are the processors of choice for
many hand held and portable devices.
At the same time, 32bit microcontrollers gain traction among
new applications that require a higher level of performance in various markets.
With declining prices, this product segment will likely eat into the shares of
lower end MCUs.
Affordable prices are also the reason the Asian region is
witnessing a migration to 16bit architectures. Its rapidly evolving electronics
market makes Asia one of the fastest growing markets for MCU manufacturers.
However, users are reluctant to shift due to unfamiliarity
with new architectures and because switching architectures incur cost and time.
The complications of porting the existing software to the new architecture and
the need for designers to make an initial investment in software and tools are
added constraints.
“However, the introduction of ready to use hardware and software
development tools at competitive prices can provide seamless migration to
higher performance architectures,” notes Janakiraman. “Chipmakers and third party
vendors need to continue working toward simplifying tool sets and reducing the
costs associated with basic evaluation boards.”
manufacturers to differentiate their products by promoting factors beyond
performance benefits. The microcontroller market's increasing tilt toward
standard cores such as the ARM and 8051 further propels efforts towards
differentiation.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, World
Microcontrollers Market, finds that the market earned revenues of $14.64
billion in 2007 and estimates this to reach $19.08 billion in 2011.
“As competition increases in the microcontroller market,
manufacturers are expected to reach high performance pinnacles, while achieving
shorter development times, improved functionality, and reduced costs,” says
Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Jayalakshmi Janakiraman. “Integrated
peripherals, on chip memories, and power performance are some of the key
factors that influence the choice of microcontrollers at present.”
The 32bit cores from ARM feature a variety of on chip peripherals,
especially for communications, such as universal serial bus (USB), controller
area network (CAN), as well as I2C interfaces and service provider interface
(SPI). A surge has taken place in the number of microcontrollers that integrate
flash memory because of its clear advantage centred on programmability.
Attempts to differentiate have included 32bit cores from ARM
that feature a variety of on chip peripherals such as universal serial bus
(USB), controller area network (CAN), as well as I2C interfaces and service
provider interface (SPI). In addition, there is a surge in the number of
microcontrollers integrating flash memory, as they have many programming
advantages.
Low power microcontrollers are in demand because of an
increasing focus on energy efficiency. The profusion of battery powered
applications further drives the sales of low power microcontrollers. Low power
is no longer associated with low performance due to the current availability of
powerful processors in this segment.
While 8bit microcontrollers are popular among emerging
applications as well as electromechanical replacements, 16bit microcontroller
units (MCUs) that balance cost and performance are the processors of choice for
many hand held and portable devices.
At the same time, 32bit microcontrollers gain traction among
new applications that require a higher level of performance in various markets.
With declining prices, this product segment will likely eat into the shares of
lower end MCUs.
Affordable prices are also the reason the Asian region is
witnessing a migration to 16bit architectures. Its rapidly evolving electronics
market makes Asia one of the fastest growing markets for MCU manufacturers.
However, users are reluctant to shift due to unfamiliarity
with new architectures and because switching architectures incur cost and time.
The complications of porting the existing software to the new architecture and
the need for designers to make an initial investment in software and tools are
added constraints.
“However, the introduction of ready to use hardware and software
development tools at competitive prices can provide seamless migration to
higher performance architectures,” notes Janakiraman. “Chipmakers and third party
vendors need to continue working toward simplifying tool sets and reducing the
costs associated with basic evaluation boards.”
