ZigBee RF4CE Initiative May Increase Wireless Sensor Network IC Shipments

ABI Research, a market intelligence company that specializes in connectivity and emerging technologies, reports that 802.15.4-based WSN (wireless sensor network) IC shipments in 2010 grew over 300% compared to the previous year.

The 802.15.4-based technology has the capability to deliver short range wireless connectivity to a variety of markets such as smart energy, buildings, homes, wireless healthcare and industrial automation.

The increased demand for ICs for early pilots and trials led to a continuous growth of 802.15.4 IC shipments in the last quarter of 2010. The market continues to show growth in 2011, but the year-on-year growth is expected to be lower than the previous year though many Advanced Metering Infrastructure deployments are anticipated to be introduced this year.

The ZigBee RF4CE initiative for a global standardized environment for 802.15.4 products is attracting new entrants in the WSN market. This is expected to fuel the shipment growth in spite of reduced growth rates.