Antenna Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

Antenna Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The Global Antenna Market was valued at USD 20.18 billion last year and is expected to reach USD 31.75 billion by registering a CAGR of 7.85% during the forecast period. Consumer electronic gadgets such as smartphones, laptops, wearables, tablets, and other devices are packed with various antennas from GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, 2G, 3G, 4G, and other frequency bands; the lower the frequency, the larger the size. The only custom-made device on the phone is the antenna, which necessitates significant R&D investment by vendors.

The 4G mobile antenna manufacturing process has progressed from the initial shrapnel antenna to the FPC and LDS antenna. Most 4G connectivity antennas are currently developed using LDS and FPC technology; shrapnel antennas, namely metal stamped and formed antennas, provide OEMs with low-cost and highly repeatable manufacturing solutions that include multiple standard or custom antenna designs.

Stamping technology is a proven solution with numerous advantages, including low cost, integrated contacts connected to the ground plane, production dies that support mass production, and additional assembly stations to increase production.

FPC has high wiring density, lightweight, thin thickness, and good bendability. The feeder, which has a high gain and is free to install, connects the FPC antenna. Due to the technology giant's many advantages, OEMs like Apple integrate the antennas with LCP; now, the demand for LCP and LDS antennas is anticipated to command a significant market share.

The technology for LDS antennas is mature and stable, the product performance is excellent, and any three-dimensional laser incident surface can achieve a high-precision layout. This technology is more expensive than FPC but is suitable for three-dimensional characters and has a larger design space. It demands the use of particular materials and electroless plating.

However, with the growing consumer electronics industry's propensity to adopt LCP antennas, market vendors are expected to focus on developing and offering LCP and MPI solutions over the forecasted period.

LDS and LCP technology combined are anticipated to hold a significant share of the market with the fastest growth in demand for MPI technology over the coming years due to 5G demand, with the LDS antenna market reaching its maturity stage and growing LCP demand.

Additionally, high demand for mobile and communications networks, including a temporary suspension of data caps, could degrade service quality, impacting the market as companies from various industries implement remote work plans.

Antenna Market Trends

Phone Antenna is Expected to Have a Significant Market Share

The key factors driving the phone antenna market are the proliferation of smartphones, the growth of the telecom service market, 3G technology, 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, and 5G. The mobile phone communication antenna can accurately follow the path of a region's economic health. The first example of this correlation concerns the most recent financial crisis, during which the market for mobile communication antennas experienced a downward trend.

The life cycle of phone antenna products is anticipated to be shorter due to the ongoing development of cutting-edge technologies. The segment is expected to grow because installation and after-sales services are in high demand. Due to its quick data transfer compared to HSDPA+, LTE technology is becoming increasingly popular, opening up new growth opportunities.

The market for telecommunications equipment may be able to meet the growing demand. The expanding use of smartphones and the rising demand for smart antennas in wireless communication encourage the adoption of phone antennas.

For instance, according to American Tower Corporation, in 2022, the company, which operates wireless and broadcast communications infrastructure, owned 822 distributed antenna system (DAS) sites in India.

Additionally, the increased demand for faster data transmission in modern communication systems with optimized evolution data, high-speed downloading, and web browsing has compelled businesses to boost wireless transmission efficiency, boosting the demand for antennas in the phone segment. Antenna vendors work hard to perfect clever antenna constructs across power values, operating distances, and frequency ranges while the telecom industry waits for 5G.

North America is Expected to Have a Major Market Share

The United States, Canada, and Mexico are the North American nations covered in the antenna market analysis. The United States dominates the North American antenna market due to the rise in high-speed internet service demand, which drives the need for sophisticated antenna designs. The demand for wireless connection networks to deliver high speeds for homes and businesses will further fuel market expansion.

According to the Cisco Annual Internet report, the region has the highest number of mobile subscribers, and a percentage of the regional population is expected to reach 88% by the end of 2023. Also, the region has the highest laptop penetration rates globally, with Dell, HP, and Lenovo commanding the top shares of the market in that respective order. ​

The region currently boasts a prominent share of the global demand and sales for wearables, with significant vendors increasingly focusing on offering their products in the area. For instance, according to Cisco, the number of wearables in the North American region is increasing, supposed to reach 439 million in 2022. ​

Owing to the region's dominant demand share, significant OEMs that offer consumer electronics are focusing on the area. With the region's high penetration of 4G capable devices, FPC, LDS, and LCP are expected to command significant shares with the growth in demand for MPI and LCP materials gaining traction, owing to growing consumer propensity towards 5G capable devices. ​

With the number of devices growing in households, the demand for dual-channel antennas that offer connectivity solutions with technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi is expected to grow as well, augmenting the demand for antennas. For this, the need for stamped metal antennas, FPC antennas, and antennas that support multiple protocols is expected to gain traction in the region. ​

With the increasing demand for wireless protocols and antennas that work on ZigBee, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi-based devices in the intelligent segment in the region, the need for antennas that offer these protocols and connectivity is expected to be favored from the part over the forecasted period. ​

Antenna Industry Overview

The Global Antenna Market is highly competitive, with many major players. Manufacturers use product differentiation to gain a competitive advantage. Key players in the field are Molex, LLC, Amphenol Corporation, Airgain, Inc., Galtronics USA, Inc, and Sunway Communication.

In March 2023, to provide a seamless solution from application to antenna, Amphenol RF adaddedxternal antennas to its product lineup to complement the current RF interfaces. RP-SMA, N-Type, SMA, and other well-known interfaces link external antennas in single-, dual-, and wide-band designs. The WLAN/WWAN, Bluetooth, wireless protocols and the Internet of Things use these antennas extensively.

In May 2022, Sunway Communication, a leading supplier of RF-related electronic components and modules such as antenna modules, wireless charging modules, EMC/EMI products, precision connectors & cables, and passive components, collaborated with Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) to develop next-generation antennas. Both companies have opened a joint development lab in San Diego, California.

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