LTE smartphones led to a bump in sales of RF power amplifiers in 2015 and the first half of 2016, according to Strategy Analytics (www.strategyanalytics.com) Over the next five years, highly integrated multiband PA modules that include switch and filter content similar to the PAs used today in the flagship Apple iPhone 7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 will ship in increasing numbers into lower-tier smartphones.
According to Christopher Taylor, author of the report and director, RF & Wireless Components, Strategy Analytics: ”The need for smartphones with more LTE bands has led to multiband PAs that contain more RF filters and switches, capturing more front-end phone content for the suppliers, contributing to a growth of the PA market that will continue at least until 2020 and 5G.”
Eric Higham, Director of Advance Semiconductor Applications at Strategy Analytics, adds: “Gallium arsenide forms the basis of most of the PAs in LTE smartphones, although the PAs now contain more CMOS control, SoI switches and SAW / BAW filter elements than in the past. As a result of this evolution to multiple die and process technologies in the PA, Skyworks, Qorvo, Broadcom (formerly Avago Tech) and Murata have benefitted, pushing some of the lower-share specialist GaAs PA suppliers such as Mitsubishi and Anadigics out of the market.”