Forecast 1: charger and adapter field

 

 

Looking back on 2020, this is the year of GaN charger. In the after-sales market, there are more than 100 chargers and adapters for mobile phones, tablets and handheld game devices. Looking forward to 2021, with the rise of multi port adapter, OEM manufacturers will embrace GaN charger more. GaN charger is changing from a niche position to a mainstream standard. Meanwhile, with the improvement of equipment design, performance, energy efficiency and power requirements, GaN charger can meet the growing needs of customers in the future.

 

By 2021, GaN chargers will be transformed from aftermarket to front mounted products. Last year, the best way to buy a small GaN charger was in the aftermarket of a large retailer or online retailer. Most of these chargers have also been reduced in size by only 30%. With the popularity of these GaN solutions, consumer expectations for the out of the box experience will change. Notebook, PC and phone manufacturers will respond to this market pressure with chargers, which will provide higher and faster charging power for small modern devices.

 

The next generation of smart speakers, sensors and devices will combine voice and face recognition, AI and even biometric technology to realize new smart home applications and experiences. Connecting these increasingly intelligent and often invisible devices to power will become more challenging. More efficient and smaller GaN chargers will satisfy these smart homes. These chargers will be designed for higher power, energy efficiency and dimensional flexibility in 2021 and beyond.

 

In the industrial market, such as portable test equipment, hand-held scanners, mobile displays, robotics, medical and supply chain applications, the next generation of chargers will need to meet the growing demand of the industrial market, which is developing synchronously with today's market. In increasingly automated factories and warehouses, there will be a high demand for faster charging of higher power and compact universal chargers to support their higher power applications by 2021.

 

 

Forecast 2: consumer audio

 

Audio is a huge market with multiple segments - from enthusiast level to premium automotive systems and smart speakers. However, in all segments, there are two things in common – power and sound quality. By the end of 2021, we foresee that many world famous brands in the audio market will be equipped with GaN audio amplifiers and supporting power supplies.

 

Today, in all segments of pro audio, home audio and portable audio, it is necessary to "deliver high quality audio in a compact format.". The class D audio system with GaN features smaller, lighter, and provides the excellent sound quality required by the corporate and consumer markets. In 2021, design engineers will use GaN transistors to solve the power transmission challenges of small amplifiers. The demand for high-quality audio is driving the growth of the class D audio amplifier market. According to allied market research, the class D audio amplifier market will grow from $2.49 billion in 2018 to $4.92 billion by 2026.

 

With GaN, the matching SMPS design is very efficient and can run without a radiator. These features will enable audio design engineers to create high-quality audio products with shorter time to market and affordable price. With the progress of semiconductor technology, including the use of GaN class D amplifier, it is now used in more audio applications, including home theater, high-power intelligent speaker, professional circuit amplifier, portable party speaker, car, etc.

 

 

Forecast 3: Data Center

 

 

According to Gartner, global end-user data center infrastructure spending will grow by 6% to $200 billion by 2021, after a decline due to the pandemic in 2020. In 2020, 60% of planned construction projects will be stranded due to covid-19, which is directly related to a 10.3% drop in data center expenditure. Similarly, because of the epidemic, the global economy is still moving towards a "digital economy" as most products and services are now based on digital delivery models or require digital enhancement to remain competitive.

 

EU regulatory policy in 2023 will focus on data center infrastructure related to power supply and energy efficiency requirements, which will have a significant impact on future data center expansion. Over the next year, GaN's main impact will be on bringing data center power and data density to new levels, not just increasing energy efficiency.

 

The ecosystem of the data center will continue to grow and become more critical for institutions. The efficiency of infrastructure has always been the focus of many institutions. Although 2020 is a year of significant increase in GaN power design, we predict that 2021 will focus on the actual implementation of GaN in the data center.

 

By 2021, data center operators will need to increase power density in their physical data center infrastructure. Smaller power supplies using GaN technology allow more storage and memory to be added to the same rack space, thereby increasing the capacity of the data center without actually building more data centers.

 

Forecast 4: Cars

 

 

The development of GaN technology and battery technology power system is widely used by automobile OEM and tier 1, and solves the past concerns about the range and purchase price. GaN in electric vehicles will be transformed into a continuation of more new features for enhanced performance and vehicle design.

 

In 2021, GaN related R & D will accelerate rapidly. Companies are eager to provide more comprehensive R & D and technology solutions, especially those that are more energy intensive and can be developed in accordance with their plans.

 

Traditionally, car manufacturers have been conservative in adopting new technologies. In 2021, the government and the public will continue to demand that the price and scope of electric vehicles be similar to that of ice vehicles today. Manufacturers will benefit from the reliability and cost-effectiveness of GaN technology itself.

 

 

GaN: transition from early adoption to market recognition

 

 

By 2020, the discussion on GaN technology has changed from "tasting" to proven reliable use, and the market acceptance will increase. This is due to the success of GaN semiconductor products in the consumer market through power adapter and audio, the renewal and re-use of GaN technology in the electric vehicle design laboratory, and the new EU policy standards on energy efficiency in data centers. Only GaN technology can effectively solve the important industry achievements in combining power density expectations with product reliability.

By 2021, GaN technology will further prove that it has successfully transformed from early adoption and has a solid foothold in various power dependent markets such as automobiles, data centers and consumer electronics.

Source: content compiled by semiconductor industry watch (ID: icbank) from semiconductor Digest