Audio components such as MEMS microphones, audio ICs, and miniature speakers play key roles in smartphones, NBs, and other electronic products. MEMS microphones are typically packaged with MEMS dies and application-specific ICs. Audio ICs Covers the audio amplifier (Amplifier), audio codec (Codec) and other chips.
On the supply chain, Knowles Electronics, GoerTek and AAC Technologies are the top three MEMS microphones in the world in 2016. These three companies are mainly composed of Sony or Infineon ), While STMicroelectronics, Bosch, TDK and Omron Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDMs) are also MEMS microphone suppliers with a large presence in the audio industry supply chain.
By the third quarter of 2017, the industry players such as Amazon, Google, Apple, Sony, Bose and Harman are actively involved in the area of smart audio and related audio assistants. Due to the smart audio technology with voice dialogue Sales in North America is very good, gradually by the market attention.
DIGITIMES Research observes that in order to enhance the sound quality of the smart audio system, not only the performance of the MEMS microphone needs to be improved, but also sound sources such as sound source localization, noise suppression, echo cancellation and other audio processing systems, and audio technologies accumulated by the handset / system industry are made relevant to the audio Soft and hardware will occupy an important position in the smart audio market.
2018 Global MEMS microphone shipments are expected to exceed 5 billion mobile phones for the largest application
Compared with the ECM, MEMS microphones have the advantages of small size, low power consumption, high temperature resistance, high seismic resistance and other global microphone technology shipments changes. In 2015, the MEMS microphones were about 3.8 billion pieces, surpassing 3.4 billion ECM for the first time.
In 2016, the global MEMS microphones continued to grow to about 4.4 billion. In contrast, the ECM remained at about 3.35 billion. In 2018, the sales of MEMS microphones are expected to exceed 5 billion. The gap with the ECM will widen year by year.
Global Microphone Technology Shipments Changes and Forecasts from 2013 to 2018
Infotainment Systems uses MEMS microphones and IoT devices require MEMS microphones for voice-activated functions in response to inability to operate electronic products while driving a vehicle. Other areas such as headphone sets and medical applications are also MEMS microphones market.
MEMS microphone main application
MEMS microphones for the audio industry key parts are the first three factories are outsourcing outsourcing model
In 2016, the total MEMS market in the world is about 1.8 billion U.S. dollars. The market for audio ICs, including audio amplifiers, audio codecs and digital signal processors (DSPs), is about $ 4.5 billion. Diameter The mini-speaker market of less than 2 inches is estimated at about $ 8.7 billion and the total audio market is about $ 15 billion.
To observe the supply chain of audio industry, MEMS microphones, Top 3 electronics companies, Gohl Acoustics and AAC in 2016, accounted for about 70% of the global MEMS microphones market share. Lou's electronics mainly consists of Sony Industrial production, Gohar Acoustics and AAC technology is mainly commissioned by Infineon OEM, Lou Shi Electronics started earlier, but gradually face the challenges of the other two mainland industry to catch up.
In addition to the above three companies, STMicroelectronics (IDM), Bosch, TDK and Omron manufacture MEMS die and microphone at the same time. Among them, Bosch and TDK respectively acquired Akustica, a MEMS microphone factory in the United States in 2009 and 2017, and MEMS inertia Sensor / Microphone Supplier InvenSense.
Korean plant BSE supplies MEMS microphones to Samsung Electronics (Samsung Electronics) in 2016, ranking fourth worldwide MEMS microphones shipments in 2016, others such as Cirrus Logic, Vesper is also a supplier of MEMS microphones.
In terms of audio amplifiers, STMicroelectronics and Lingyun Logic are a few of the industry players who are simultaneously involved in MEMS die / microphone and audio amplifiers. Unlike STMicroelectronics, which owns fabs, Lingyun Logic is an IC design company, others such as Arnold Analog Devices, NXP Semiconductors, Maxim Integrated, Texas Instruments and other vendors can supply audio amplifiers.
The audio industry in the MEMS die / microphone, audio amplifier major suppliers
In the audio codec, Lingyun logic across the MEMS die / microphone, audio amplifier, audio codec IC design industry, NXP and Maxim are both audio amplifier and audio codec at the same time, other areas such as Qualcomm Qualcomm, Rohm, Yamaha and Realtek are also audio codec vendors, and Qualcomm is expected to complete the acquisition of NXP in 2018.
It is noteworthy that Apple purchases a large number of MEMS microphones for its smart phones, tablet PCs, NB and other products, itself span audio amplifiers, audio codecs and other audio-related fields.
In order to enhance the added value of audio ICs, Lingyun Logic, Maxim and Realtek mainly focus on the field of discrete components and high-value algorithms. In contrast, Qualcomm, Apple and others strive to integrate their audio ICs into Application Processors Processor; AP).
In the micro-speakers, at the same time spanning MEMS microphones and micro-speakers have Lou Shi Electronics, Goer Acoustics, AAC technology and other industries, the United States Acoustic Components manufacturers Melody Industries since 2011 cut into the Apple mini speaker supply chain, such as Hosiden of Japan Factory, Foster Electric of Japan Factory, Transound and other suppliers are also miniature loudspeaker suppliers.
Audio industry, audio codecs, mini speakers, major suppliers and downstream mobile phone / system operators
Intelligent audio is expected to become a new MEMS microphone applications
American Amazon launched Echo to adopt Alexa intelligent voice assistant in 2014. By the third quarter of 2017, many companies such as Google, Apple, Sony, Bose and Harman actively plunged into the field of smart audio and related audio assistant. Smart audio voice dialogue features market attention.
Take Apple's Smart HomePod, an intelligent audio device released in July 2017 as an example. To enhance the recognition accuracy of the Siri voice assistant, it has built-in 6 microphone arrays to enhance the sound quality. As the smart audio performance and market expand , Will gradually emerging MEMS microphone applications.
In addition to enhancing computing power, smart audio also requires better sound quality. Audio components, including MEMS microphones, audio ICs, and miniature speakers, will play an important role in enhancing the sound quality of smart audio systems.
By improving signal to noise ratio (SNR), frequency response (Frequency Response), Acoustic Overload Point (AOP) and other audio performance, MEMS microphone performance will gradually improve, but on the strengthening of intelligent audio sound quality effects Relatively limited.
To further enhance the smart audio performance, while improving the performance of MEMS microphones, sound processing systems such as sound source localization, noise suppression and echo cancellation should be combined with the audio technologies accumulated by handset / system operators to promote MEMS microphones and speakers Audio Components Accelerate toward modularity to meet the demand for higher audio quality.
Audio components and technologies will play an important role in enhancing the sound quality of smart audio systems
Conclusion
2017 global MEMS microphone shipments will reach 4.8 billion in 2018 is expected to exceed 5 billion mark to further widen the gap between its leading ECM, the top three plants House Electronics, Goer Acoustics, AAC Technologies main Commissioned by Sony, Infineon and other industry OEM, and STMicroelectronics, Bosch, TDK, Omron IDM is also an important industry.
MEMS microphones are used in smartphones, NBs, games and other fields and have good array stability, low power consumption and other features, and continue to improve the signal to noise ratio, but smart audio needs better sound quality, MEMS microphone as a voice command center The key components, it is necessary with the sound processing system and the combination of audio technology to meet the needs of intelligent voice higher order performance.
MEMS microphones gradually evolve toward higher-order performance such as smart voice from basic functions
In addition, although Apple did not produce MEMS microphones, but to cross the audio amplifier, audio codecs and other audio areas, and is committed to its AP integration, which, with Google, Sony, Bose and other smart audio industry, whether to help Apple enhance intelligence Sound performance remains to be seen.