Berg Insight has published a new report focusing on antennas for cellular IoT devices. While antennas are fundamentally simple passive components, their implementation presents numerous challenges.
The intricacies of RF design demand a profound understanding of electromagnetic principles, signal integrity, and the complexities of printed circuit board (PCB) design. Major smartphone manufacturers employ hundreds of engineers to create bespoke antennas for their devices. In contrast, makers of cellular IoT devices typically lack the resources and scale to design antennas internally and thus depend on specialised vendors for off-the-shelf antennas and bespoke design services.
Berg Insight estimates that 598 million cellular IoT antennas, encompassing both internal and external types, were shipped in 2023. This figure is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.9%, reaching 1.2 billion units by 2028.
Cellular IoT antennas can be categorised into internal and external types. Choosing the right antenna involves considering factors such as size, cost, and performance. Ideally, an antenna would have a small form factor, be inexpensive, and deliver excellent performance. However, in practice, compromises must be made, as there is no universal antenna solution that meets all requirements perfectly.
The cellular IoT antenna market is served by numerous players of varying sizes, each with different portfolio strategies and specialisations. Major diversified electronic component manufacturers like TE Connectivity, Kyocera, and Amphenol are significant players in this market. Taoglas stands out as a leading IoT antenna vendor in North America and Europe, while Sunnyway Technologies dominates the Chinese market across all major antenna segments. Other notable providers active in multiple segments include discoverIE (operating under the brands 2J Antennas and Antenova), Pulse Electronics, and Quectel.
Providers focusing primarily on the internal antenna segment include Ignion, Abracon, Ezurio, Unictron, and Walsin Technology Corporation. The external antenna market is more fragmented, with few vendors having a substantial presence in multiple regions. Berg Insight identifies Panorama Antennas, Parsec Technologies, and PCTEL (acquired by Amphenol in December 2023) as market leaders. Other prominent external antenna providers include Amphenol Procom, Poynting Antennas, Huber+Suhner, and Airgain.
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