Microcontroller chips integrated with wireless interfaces are in big demand. Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness substantial growth over the forecast period, owing to the rapidly growing consumer electronics sectors, as well as the presence of major market players in the region
The global microcontroller market size is predicted to attain $36.16 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is anticipated to progress at a CAGR of 10.1 per cent from 2021 to 2028. Globally, more than 28 billion units of microcontrollers were shipped in 2020. The market growth is attributable to the increasing focus on automation and artificial intelligence across various verticals such as automotive and industrial. Increasing demand for embedded control systems in multi-functional devices such as vehicles, robots, medical devices, mobile radio, residential appliances, among others, is also playing a principal role in the growth of the market.
“The increased demand for devices supporting Ethernet and the Internet of Things (IoT) is also expected to impact the demand for microcontrollers over the forecast period favorably. The demand for microcontroller chips integrated with wireless interfaces, such as ZigBee, microcontrollers, and Bluetooth, has witnessed a considerable rise,” read the report.
It continued, “Furthermore, the rising need for wireless sensor-based networks for the controlling and monitoring of systems has enhanced the interest of companies in implementing a combination of low-cost systems. Increasing focus on the implementation of energy-efficient solutions for both discrete and process industries is anticipated to propel sustainable manufacturing in industrial automation for a more efficient process. Flexible production and asset management would also influence the factory integration, offering high potential for automation and customized solutions among industrial applications.”
Reducing product lifecycles is expected to spur growth
The market has witnessed a downfall in revenue owing to the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The leading companies, such as Infineon Technologies AG, NXP Semiconductors, Texas Instruments Incorporated, and STMicroelectronics, have witnessed a significant fall in revenues in the first two quarters of 2020. However, as the lockdown restrictions are gradually getting lifted, manufacturing facilities across the globe are reopening with a limited workforce. Further, as the automotive and industrial factories worldwide are reopening, the demand for microcontrollers is expected to grow steadily from 2021 to 2028.
The rising need for agility and flexibility in the industrial ecosystem due to the reducing product lifecycles is expected to spur growth further. The consumer electronics segment has also witnessed significant growth owing to innovative technological developments such as wireless sensing and connectivity, automation, along with the emergence of IoT ecosystems in homes. Furthermore, many players in the market are developing microcontrollers with state-of-the-art architecture to make them compatible with the devices that are having such technologies. Miniaturization of microcontrollers and the delivery of high performance with extremely low power usage are some of the key advantages that are offered by some of the new microcontroller units in the market.
Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness substantial growth over the forecast period, owing to the rapidly growing consumer electronics sectors, as well as the presence of major market players in the region. Factors such as the Brexit and U.S.-China trade war have led to declining market conditions. New American tariffs on Chinese goods and a slowdown in the Chinese economy are the major factors affecting the steady growth of the market.
The 32-bit microcontroller is anticipated to emerge as the fastest-growing product segment over the forecast period, owing to its ability to offer high computational power. Technological developments in the production of semi-autonomous and fully autonomous driving systems also require 32-bit microcontrollers, thus driving the growth of the product segment. The automotive application segment dominated the global market in 2020 and is estimated to witness a CAGR exceeding 11 per cent from 2021 to 2028. Increasing consumer demand for enhanced safety features, convenience functions, and entertainment systems, along with government regulations on emission control are driving the segment growth.
North America is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecast period. The use of microcontrollers for smart energy management and photovoltaic systems is expected to be the significant factor contributing to the regional growth.
