RF Front End Module Market Size

Radio Frequency (RF) Front End Module Market Analysis

The RF Front End Module Market size is estimated at USD 25.83 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 42.45 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 13.23% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

In recent years, the development of low-cost nanosatellites has grown considerably. It has been made viable due to the availability of low-cost launch vectors and "commercial off-the-shelf components" (COTS). Most COTS components are usually not space-qualified, and to make them work and withstand the harsh space environment, they need extra effort in in-circuit redesign and implementation. The RF front-end design is considered one of the better and more feasible choices in expert research, which consists of an S-band transceiver that is fully implemented using COTS components. If further implemented in nanosatellites, the market in this sector shall grow significantly during the forecast period.

• An RF front-end module refers to the circuitry in a radio receiver circuit between a radio receiver's antenna input and the mixer stage or the transmitter's power amplifier.
• The exponential increase in mobile communication devices on a unit basis and rising data traffic due to data-intensive applications have led RF FEM providers to lead innovation, such as high-frequency bands in handsets. Additionally, per the Cisco Visual Networking Index, the global mobile data traffic is expected to increase sevenfold between 2017 and 2022, with a CAGR of 46%, reaching 77.5 exabytes per month by 2022.
• Qorvo introduced the first dual-band front-end module (FEM) for Wi-Fi 6, the SKY85334-11 and SKY85750-11. It is designed ideally for customer premise equipment (CPE), combining the performance required to deliver HD/4K video with the efficiency needed for IoT. Also, by featuring linearity, power dissipation, and efficiency for access points, routers, and gateways, where regulatory, thermals, or Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) limitations demand low current consumption, the modules overlook integration at switching, low-noise amplifier (LNA) with bypass and power amplifier (PA) as applications.
• Moreover, the constant increase in defense budgets in developing and developed nations and the demand for technologically-advanced products in the arsenal of national and international armed forces are expected to further fuel the global market's growth. Military radio frequency and electronic warfare applications are expected to grow in addition to the technological advancements in autonomous vehicles and drones.
• RF power amplifiers (PA), thus, form an integral part of all the base stations for wireless mobile infrastructure. They represent one of the most expensive components of sub-assemblies in modern infrastructure equipment. The GaN RF semiconductors used in these power amplifiers must evolve with the economic and technical realities facing the designers and users of these RF PAs.
• Due to government-imposed lockdowns and travel and trade restrictions, many industries, such as electronics, automotive, aerospace & defense, and telecommunications, were forced to shut down their operations, lowering the demand for RF power semiconductors in 2020. As of 2022, several RF component makers have reorganized their supply chains by working with regional raw material suppliers. In the future, this is projected to reduce the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on producers.