The worldwide WiFi phone market grew 76 percent between 2004 and 2005 to $102.5 million. It is projected to more than double in 2006 as enterprises continue to deploy VoWLANs (see "Today's Spotlight"), according to Infonetics Research's latest report. Healthy VoWLAN growth is projected through 2009, when WiFi phone revenue will reach nearly $1.9 billion. VoWLAN will initially be an enterprise application but will soon become popular with consumers, too and has potential for enormous growth as part of a VoIP service bundled with broadband connections.
Other findings in the report:
- WiFi phone units grew 112 percent between 2004 and 2005 and will grow 158 percent in 2006.
- Roughly two-thirds of WiFi phone revenue came from single-mode WiFi VoIP handsets in 2005, about one-third from dual-mode handsets; by 2009, dual-mode handsets make up 3/4 of total revenue.
- 52 percent of dual-mode WiFi/cellular handset revenue came from Asia-Pacific in 2005, 25 percent from North America, 21 percent from EMEA, 2 percent from CALA.
- 802.11e QoS was standardized in late 2005 and will generate a new round of product releases and renewed promotion of real-time applications such as voice and video over wireless LANs.
For more on Infonetics study:
- see this press release