Tapping the Digital Markets

BOSTON  April 19, 2002  Aberdeen Group, a provider of technology market consulting and research, has announced the launch of its new Semiconductor practice. The Semiconductor practice focuses on key enabling semiconductor technologies for emerging digital markets and the associated semiconductor ecosystem. Analysis of enabling technologies includes capabilities in communications, digital signal processing, imaging, networking, non-commodity memory, microprocessors, and wireless functionality - communications, computers, consumer, and telematics applications, as well as relevant semiconductor design, fabrication (fab), and test trends. Practice scope covers fabrication-less (fab-less) firms as well as foundries and integrated device manufacturers (IDMs).

"The Semiconductor industry is returning to growth after the most brutal downturn in its history," says Russ Craig, Research Director and leader of Aberdeen's Semiconductor practice. "Green-field construction costs for a 300 mm fab now approach US$3 billion, driving a variety of strategic alliances in the industry. Going forward, only the most financially robust firms will be able to afford to fund such investments internally."

Aberdeen research indicates that growth opportunities abound in consumer electronics, wireless data, and communications segments, and successful firms - as well as a host of new venture-funded fab-less companies - are reacting swiftly to exploit them.

Current areas of research for Aberdeen's Semiconductor practice include: microelectronic machines (MEMs) and silicon sensors; silicon/software-defined radios; special-purpose CPUs, including embedded and network processing units (NPUs); and wireless data and video, including ultra wide band.