Exciting prospects seen for wireless electronic devices

Over one billion devices will be wirelessly connected by the year 2005, making the wireless segment of the electronics market an extremely exciting one for years to come.

Thus predicts Bob Pillay, general manager for Philips Consumer Electronics (PCE) for South/Southeast Asia, Taiwan and the Pacific, who flew in recently for the launch of the new range of Fisio cellular phones by Philips Consumer Electronics’ Business Unit-Wireless at the Shangri-La Makati Hotel.

"Wireless connectivity is a high-growth emerging market. While the primary opportunity will be in high-end, digital consumer devices, penetration into mass-based consumer electronics such as mobile phones will soon follow. Wireless connectivity will soon be a commonplace occurrence," he says.

The 2005 opportunity is expected to be roughly 30 percent for standalone ICs, 25 percent for ICs embedded in modules, and 45 percent for value-added modules. Pillay says Bluetooth technology will likely lead in terms of unit volume while 802.11b/a/g will lead in terms of revenues.

Zigbee, which is expected to come into the market by 2003, will experience high growth as homes and industries embrace automation and infrared systems are replaced in high-end remote controls and PC peripherals.

The acceptance of these wireless technologies will translate into an almost infinite pool of market applications. With text, graphics, Internet, hi-fi audio, digital video and multi-channel video all streaming into wireless devices, the possibility for multi-functional cross-over devices becomes doable.

Pillay contends that Philips is in the best position to take advantage of this global technological development. And it is expected that Philips’ wide range of mobile phones, particularly the Fisio range – 820, 620 and 120/121 with their highly advanced features – will take the lead in penetrating the market.

The most distinctive features of the newest range of phones are the color screen of the fisio 820 model and its GPRS and Bluetooth technologies. GPRS, combined with the nine-liner color screen, allows one to download photos from the Internet or a digital still camera and turn them into screensavers and wallpapers – providing an infinite array of options to truly personalize one’s phone. The fisio 620, on the other hand, offers a more practical option with its speakerphone feature.

"We are a global consumer electronics player providing consumers with innovative product and related service applications in the areas of Digital Home Entertainment and Digital Personal Expression. Our strengths in the areas of display, storage and connectivity will definitely help us conquer the wireless world," Pillay says.

Philips’ vision of wireless connectivity will make things better for the consumer whether he is in the home, at the office, or on the move. Already, Philips is developing consumer devices in the areas of entertainment, productivity and home automation.

"The future is wireless. It is our objective to help consumers make the transition from wired to wireless in the most exciting but definitely easiest manner possible," Pillay says.