Affordable SoC: 4 and 8-Bit MCU Demand in Applications 2004-2009

SUMMARY

Propelled by the communications and consumer market segments, microcontrollers continue to bring sizeable revenues. In-Stat expects the worldwide MCU units shipped between 2004 and 2009 to increase at an annual CAGR of 10.3.

Year 2004 finally delivered an upside for 4 and 8-bit microcontrollers that justifies some degree of optimism. These microcontrollers will continue to grow in unit shipments at an overall pace corresponding to a CAGR of approximately 8.0%, but the ASP erosion steals much of the anticipated revenue glory.

In 2009, revenues from the 4 and 8-bit microcontroller category will be led by the consumer market segment, followed by transportation, and then by computer and electronic data processing (computer and EDP). This forecast has taken into account the continued blurring of boundaries between different solutions that are competing for the attention of system designers: microcontrollers (MCUs) compete with application-specific standard products (ASSPs), inexpensive field programmable gate-arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), ASIC/FPGA hybrids, ASICs with field-programmable cores, combinations of microprocessors (MPUs) and separate ASIC chips, and others.

This report provides a bit-wise MCU forecast and then provides a market overview, detailed data by market segment, and a forecast for over 100 applications for both 4-bit and 8-bit MCUs.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Executive Summary
• Methodology
  • Bit-Width Transitions
• Nomenclature
  • Microcontroller (MCU) Categories
• Possible Sources of Confusion
• Overview
• The Past
  • MCT Architecture and Peripheral Features
    • A Brief Backgrounder for Business Professionals
  • Software Tools are Not Keeping Up
• The Future
• Forecast Background
• The Bit-Wise MCU Forecast
  • The Applications
• 2004-2009: 4-Bit Microcontrollers
  • Market Overview
  • Detailed Data by Market Segment
  • Application Details
• 2004-2009: 8-Bit Microcontrollers
  • Market Overview
  • Detailed Data by Market Segment
  • Application Details
• Acknowledgement

List of Tables

• Table 1. 2004-2009 All-Bit Microcontrollers, History and Forecast
• Table 2. 2004-2009 4 and 8-Bit Microcontrollers, History and Forecast
• Table 3. 2004-2009 All-Bit Microcontrollers, History and Forecast
• Table 4. All-Bit MCU Worldwide Revenue (US$ in Thousands) by Market Segments
• Table 5. 2004-2009: 4- and 8-Bit Microcontrollers, History and Forecast; Revenue, Shipments, and ASP
• Table 6. 4- and 8-Bit MCU Worldwide Revenue (US$ in Thousands) Status and Forecast 2004-2009
• Table 7. 2004-2009 MCU WW Shipments by Market Segment Status and Forecast (Units in Thousands)
• Table 8. 2004-2009 4-Bit MCU WW Sales (US$ and Units in Thousands) History and Forecast
• Table 9. 2004-2009 4-Bit MCU Revenue (US$ in Thousands) by Market Segment
• Table 10. 2004-2009 4-Bit MCU Shipments (Units in Thousands) by Market Segment
• Table 11. 2004-2009 4-Bit MCU ASP (US$) by Market Segment
• Table 12. 2004-2009 4-Bit MCU Shipments (Units in Thousands) by Application
• Table 13. 2004-2009 8-Bit MCU WW Sales (US$ and Units in Thousands) History and Forecast
• Table 14. 2004-2009 8-Bit MCU Revenue (US$ in Thousands) by Market Segment
• Table 15. 2004-2009 8-Bit MCU Shipments (Units in Thousands) by Market Segment
• Table 16. 2004-2009 8-Bit MCU ASP (US$) by Market Segment
• Table 17. 2004-2009 8-Bit MCU Shipments(Units in Thousands) by Application

List of Figures

• Figure 1. MCU Categories According to WSTS/SIA
• Figure 2. Renesas Group 4506 4-Bit MicroController Shows Bare-Bone Simplicity and the Always-Present On-Chip Clock Generating Circuit
• Figure 3. Using the Freescale 68HC908SR12 in a Food Heating Application
• Figure 4. NEC Electronics' Lx2 Features Make it a Simple and Flexible Microcontroller Capable of Operating at Up to 20 MHz
• Figure 5. An 8051 Microcontroller That Can Make Use of External Memory for Instructions and Data: Infineon's C504
• Figure 6. NEC's Automobile Dashboard Simulator Helps Optimize and Debug the Program Before it Must be Transferred to the Target Platform for Final Testing
• Figure 7. Cypress Semiconductor PSoC Express Environment Connects Mixed Signal Cores to One Another
• Figure 8. Changes in All-Bit Segment Revenue Market Shares 2004 vs. 2009 (%)
• Figure 9. All-Bit MCU Worldwide Revenue (US$ in Thousands) by Market Segments
• Figure 10. Changes in 4- and 8-Bit Segment Revenue Market Shares 2004 vs. 2009 (%)
• Figure 11. 4- and 8-Bit MCU Worldwide Revenue (US$ in Thousands) Status and Forecast 2004-2009
• Figure 12. 2004-2009 MCU WW Shipments by Market Segment Status and Forecast (Units in Thousands)
• Figure 13. 2004-2009 4-Bit MCU WW Sales (US$ and Units in Thousands) History and Forecast
• Figure 14. 2004-2009 8-Bit MCU WW Sales (US$ and Units in Thousands) History and Forecast