A recent report from In-Stat (News - Alert) stated that Internet-connected mobile devices need robust multimedia performance to provide a quality user experience. This has resulted in graphics, video and audio moving to the forefront of semiconductor and system design.

 

The research titled “Mobile Graphics & Multimedia Review: Integration Still Has Its Challenge,” covers the worldwide market for mobile graphics and multimedia silicon. The report gives a projection of 22.3 percent compound annual growth rate, or “CAGR,” through 2013 for the total available market, “TAM,” for Internet-connected devices. It is also expected that 91 percent of Internet-connected devices will be using processors with integrated multimedia acceleration by 2013. This includes 72 percent of mobile PCs.

 

The report examines the multimedia acceleration – graphics, video and audio – for Internet-connected devices which includes smartphones, MIDs/UMPCs, netbooks and notebook PCs. According to Jim McGregor, analyst at In-Stat, multimedia features have moved from simple co-processing functions to the forefront of semiconductor and system design. However, there is an alarming trend of fewer in-house and third-party solutions available despite the growth prospects of the mobile market.

 

ARM (News - Alert), CEVA, DMP, Imagination Technologies and Vivente are offering IP solutions to address the market. Since there are fewer in-house multimedia solutions and third-party IP providers, ARM, CEVA (News - Alert) and Imagination will benefit the most from increased multimedia functionality in mobile devices. According to the research, carriers will account for more than 60 percent of Internet device unit sales in 2013.

 

Semiconductor chip vendors that are looking to address the increasing demand include Anyka, AMD/ATI, Broadcom, Intel, Jade Technology, Marvell, MtekVision, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Samsung, Texas Instruments and VIA (News - Alert) Technologies.

 

The report examines multimedia hardware and software solutions and also has a review of influencing standards & proprietary platforms. Integration trends for multimedia functions in mobile devices, including integration of GPUs in core-logic chipsets and CPUs in the PC segment are also present in the report. IP vendor profiles of ARM, CEVA, DMP, Imagination Technologies (News - Alert) and Vivente are also included.