In order to be successful, IC vendors have to implement a multi-technology strategy with the widest range of products. Vendors will have to provide the tools necessary to give devices the ability to interact with billions of devices that could be single technology solutions. As mobile computing and cloud solutions start integrating into one seamless platform, the wireless solutions supplying this technology are going to be in greater demand than ever before. Companies with the right set of technology will be poised to capture a greater share of the market. ABI research concluded that Broadcom (News - Alert) has captured the number one spot in three recent comparative assessments on wireless connectivity IC markets. It gained the number one position in overall wireless connectivity ICs, Bluetooth ICs and Wi-Fi ICs.

The company gained its prominence as the largest market share holder with current technology such as media tablets and wireless connectivity combo ICs used in the most recognized smartphone brands including Apple, HTC (News - Alert), LG, Nokia and Samsung amongst others.

Some of the other companies ABI looked at as part of that study were: Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR), Intel Corporation, Marvell Semiconductor Inc., MediaTek Inc, Qualcomm Inc., RDA Microelectronics, STMicroelectronics (News - Alert) and Texas Instruments Inc. Qualcomm was second in all of the competitive assessments evaluations and is quickly gaining on Broadcom.

Wireless technologies eventually will have to consolidate into fewer platforms to simplify the way in which the user can access information. As 802.15.4, Zigbee, NFC, GPS, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, 60GHz, UWB, Bluetooth Smart, and Bluetooth Smart Ready as well as other formats start competing with each other and other complementary technologies, the market will push out the weaker standards until eventually manufacturers start agreeing on a dominant platform.

“The wireless connectivity IC market has gone through a transition period over the last few years, from one served by technology specific companies, to one served largely by technology agnostic companies that have wide product portfolios. As more devices have embraced 2 or more short-range wireless technologies it has been those suppliers that have been able to integrate Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, NFC, FM, etc., such as Broadcom, that have grabbed market share from competitors and become market leaders whilst others have been marginalized,” said Peter Cooney, practice director ABI Research (News - Alert).