iSuppli: Shipments of MEMS microphones reached 2.06 B units in 2012

iSuppli has reported shipments of MEMS microphones reached an estimated 2.06 billion units in 2012, up by a factor of 4.8 from 432.9 million units in 2009. Apple has highly influenced this market causing MEMS microphone shipments to nearly quintuple in just three short years, as per iSuppli. “While MEMS microphones have been around for many years, 2009 marked an important milestone when Apple started to buy MEMS microphones for the iPod nano 5, and more importantly, for the iPhone 4,” said Jérémie Bouchaud, director and senior principal analyst for MEMS & sensors at IHS. “With Apple playing a huge role, the MEMS microphone market turned up the volume dramatically.” Other findings reported by iSuppli: Following the design win with Apple, global MEMS microphone shipments rose 696.4 million units in 2010, and then surged to 1.3 billion units the following year. Apple’s share of MEMS microphone consumption shipments rose from just 6.2 percent in 2009 to an outsized 30.8 percent in 2012. One of the great success stories in the MEMS field, silicon microphones have found their use broadening over the years in what has become a fast-growing market. While a smartphone or feature phone may need one accelerometer, compass and gyroscope each, two MEMS microphones for a smartphone is typical—up from just one microphone two years ago. Even more remarkable, handset suppliers are no...