Report details:
Publication Date: August 2005
Number of Pages: 45
$2,995 (US) PDF File, Single user license
summary
Wi-Fi has traditionally been used as a wireless connectivity technology in residential and business networks. Increasingly, however, semiconductor vendors and consumer electronic equipment manufacturers are planning to use Wi-Fi as a means for consumer electronics connectivity. Vendors are targeting Wi-Fi for use with a range of consumer electronics device segments, including printers, game consoles, digital TVs, DVD recorders and players, set-top boxes, PVRs, handheld game devices, MP3 players, digital still cameras and camcorders, PDAs, and mobile handsets. This report presents the results and analysis of a survey of 640 consumers residing in the US, conducted in June 2005.
The survey examined consumers' knowledge of, and attitudes and actions regarding Wi-Fi as a home networking technology in general, and as a means for wirelessly connecting consumer electronics devices in particular. This report will be particularly useful to product managers and marketing directors in Wi-Fi and consumer electronics equipment and semiconductor vendor companies, financial analysts covering the Wi-Fi and consumer electronics equipment and semiconductor markets, and consultants advising clients in the Wi-Fi and consumer electronics equipment and semiconductor markets.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Methodology
Market Overview
Product and Technology Segmentation
Consumer Electronics Device Segmentation
Stationary Devices
Portable Devices
WLAN Air Standard Segmentation
WLAN Background
WLAN Silicon and Modules
Power Amplifier
Radio Frequency Transceiver
Baseband/MAC
Modules
MIMO, Smart Antennas, and the Arrival of 802.11n
Requirements for Wi-Fi in Consumer Electronics
WLAN Competitive Positioning in Home Networking and Consumer Electronics
Wired Home Networking Technologies
Wireless Home Networking Technologies
Wi-Fi Drivers & Challenges
Consumer Survey Results
Survey Respondent Basic Demographic Profile
Significant Demographic Factors
Median Survey Respondent Profile
Survey Demographic Responses
Consumer Attitudes Toward Wi-Fi Home Networks
Consumer Attitudes Toward Wi-Fi in Consumer Electronics
Important Considerations for Wi-Fi in Different Device Segments
List of Tables
Table 1. IEEE 802.11 Air Standard Characteristics
Table 2. Which, if any, of the following home networking technology options have you heard of? (Please check all that apply)
Table 3. Which, if any, of the following home networking technologies are currently used in your home? (Please check all that apply)
Table 4. Which, if any, of the following home networking technologies are you considering purchasing for use in your home in the next 12 months? (Please check all that apply)
Table 5. Which, if any, of the following wireless networking technologies have you heard of? (Please check all that apply)
Table 6. Which, if any, of the following wireless networking technologies are currently used in your home? (Please check all that apply)
Table 7. Which, if any, of the following problems do you currently experience with your Wi-Fi/wireless home network? (please check all that apply)
Table 8. Summary of critically rated features of wireless home networking equipment (multiple responses aggregated)
Table 9. Which, if any, of the following devices have you heard of being connected using wireless home networking? (Please check all that apply)
Table 10. Which, if any of the following devices do you think would most benefit from being connected using a wireless home network (i.e., instead of being connected using a wired network)? (Please select no more than 3 devices)
Table 11. Which, if any, of the following devices are connected via your wireless home network? (please check all that apply)
Table 12. Which, if any, of the following do you think are the main benefits of wirelessly networking consumer-electronics devices? (please select the top 3 benefits)
Table 13. Do you believe that wirelessly networking consumer electronics devices (such as...) would be more difficult, less difficult, or roughly the same level of difficulty as wirelessly networking PCs and broadband modems/wireless routers?
Table 14. Summary of critically rated interest for the use of wireless home networking equipment for various applications (multiple responses aggregated)
Table 15. Please indicate what you think the most important consideration would be when connecting the type of device to a wireless home network: Home Broadband Modems/Routers/Gateways/Set Top Boxes (STBs)
Table 16. Please indicate what you think the most important consideration would be when connecting the type of device to a wireless home network: Digital Still Cameras/Camcorders
Table 17. Please indicate what you think the most important consideration would be when connecting the type of device to a wireless home network: Digital Televisions (DTVs)
Table 18. Please indicate what you think the most important consideration would be when connecting the type of device to a wireless home network: Portable Handset Devices: (PDAs)/Cellular Phones/Smart Phones/Handheld Game Consoles/MP3 Players
Table 19. Please indicate what you think the most important consideration would be when connecting the type of device to a wireless home network: DVD Players/Recorders/Personal Video Recorders (e.g. TIVO)
Table 20. Please indicate what you think the most important consideration would be when connecting the type of device to a wireless home network: Video Game Consoles
List of Figures
Figure 1. WLAN Semiconductor Functional Block Diagram
Figure 2. Survey respondent gender
Figure 3. Survey respondent educational level
Figure 4. Survey respondent household income
Figure 5. Size of survey respondent's residence
Figure 6. Survey respondent living environment
Figure 7. Number of individuals living in survey respondent's household
Figure 8. Number of PCs in survey respondent's household
Figure 9. Type of Internet access used by survey respondents
Figure 10. Type of home network used in survey respondents' household
Figure 11. Preferred source for survey respondent wireless equipment
Figure 12. Survey respondent preference for manner in setting up wireless home network