Strategy Analytics, the global research and consulting company, released “RFMD and Skyworks Gain Share, Further PA Consolidation Likely,” which notes that the top two suppliers of power amplifiers (PA) for cellular terminals increased their combined share of the market to an estimated 71 percent in 2006.
According to Chris Taylor, director of the Strategy Analytics RF and Wireless Component service, “The move to multi-band, multi-mode EDGE and 3G handsets has accelerated the pace of product development for PA suppliers, who now have to have expertise in linearization and system optimization, RF switching, filters, power conditioning and packaging--as well as power amplification--to play in this market.”
Asif Anwar, director of the Strategy Analytics GaAs and Compound Semiconductor service, adds, “Growth came at the expense of several lower share players, at least three of which withdrew from the PA market from late 2005 through 2006. Below the top two, TriQuint and Anadigics gained share, while most of the other players maintained or lost ground.”