Sensors in the balance of supply and demand, market from around 2006, almost started popularization of smart phone time, total market begin to grow, attract more companies to enter the market. According to the latest report, ICInsights from 2014 to 2019, the strong growth of sensor and shipments annual compound growth rate as high as 11.4%, over five years global shipments of 19.1 billion. Sales is expected to reach 6% compound annual growth rate. From 2009 to 2014 sensors sales annual compound growth rate of 17.1%, and hit a record high of $5.7 billion in 2014.

Now, in addition to smartphones, represented by intelligent smart bracelet watches and wearable devices, has been with the traditional technique of electronic equipment pulled open the distance, is a more accurate sensor changed application market. Smart sensors has been throughout our life, and those who originally need to separate the purchase, use tedious professional equipment, are slowly become daily tool can use the mobile application control. And as more connected to mobile phone consumer electronics products, such as intelligent hardware, automotive systems, etc., of sensors in a lot of sight quickly popular, smart home, game consoles, automotive, transactions, etc, have great potential.

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In October last year listed on the iPhone 6 USES the accelerometer and gyroscope, fingerprint sensors, electronic compass, barometer, close to the ambient light sensor (NFC), microphone and image sensor. The iPhone6 used two inertial sensor: one is 6 axis accelerometer and gyroscope, the other is 3 axis accelerometer, three microphones.

In April this year listed Apple Watch USES ForceTouch feel pressure control, the heart rate sensor, ST combination of six axis of inertia sensor, Knowles electronics MEMS microphones, AMS ambient light sensor.

At the same time, the sensor has been throughout life. In the field of wearable, Oculus Rift virtual reality display, Misfit Shine intelligent hand ring, Nest intelligent thermostat and the dosage of the sensor. In the field of smart home, Nest Protect smoke detectors, Homeboy household security cameras, intelligent BloomSky weather monitoring cameras, smart door handles, air purifier is also a big market, such as infrared security detection equipment and fingerprint combination lock also make home safer. This set of heavily armed, through mobile applications, consumers can real-time monitor the condition of the house, prevent accidents and reduce losses. When I come home, still can debug a relatively comfortable indoor environment, including temperature, humidity, etc.

In addition, the Wii, the senior assistant driving system, credit card payment POS machine and other smart devices are rapidly growing demand for sensors. Family game carry can imagine all the sensors, in addition to control the movement of the accelerometer and gyroscope, magnetic sensor, and before the camera, microphone, etc. The auxiliary driving techniques include scanning pedestrian monitoring, street signs, prevent scratches, etc.

The application requirement of sustained fever has attracted more and more companies to join in this field, in addition to large companies, 139 start-up 4284 investors in the sensor field. More and more fierce competition, also let the upstream manufacturers also falling prices. According to EDN magazine data, from 2006 to 2006, a few relatively popular sensor cost price is generally fell by about 5 times. Accelerometer, for example, the unit cost price from $1.8 at $0.4.

In addition to hardware and business, another reason for the popularization of the sensor is in view of the sensor software development has been simplified. Such as Silicon Labs for induction of relative humidity, temperature, ultraviolet light, ambient light, close and gesture recognition ability of Internet product, provide Simplicity Studio development platform. Developers will be able to get about sensor software design part of the full source code. Now there are a lot of geeks, keen to open source intelligence hardware. Maybe in the future, as an ordinary consumer, also can DIY smart hardware. At that time, the cost of the sensor will be cheaper.

According to the report of ICInsights, semiconductor sensor accounts for nearly two-thirds of sensor/actuator overall market, acceleration/course Angle sensor is still the biggest sensor breakdown products sales statistics, accounting for 26% of the overall market share of the sensor/actuator. But/course Angle acceleration sensor unit price decline, combined with the slow growth, market conditions are grim. Shipments of 2014 annual growth rate of only 1%, sales increases following the 2013 fell by 2% after falling to 4%.

Magnetic sensor has a 1% negative growth in 2013, a return to growth in 2014, with 11% of the annual growth rate hit a record sales of $1.6 billion.

Pressure sensor is the continuation of strong growth momentum, following a 16% growth in 2013 and 2014 growth of 15%, and hit a record high of $1.5 billion.

MEMS (microelectromechanical system, mainly including pressure, acceleration and course Angle sensor and drive) devices accounted for about 80% of the sensor/actuator overall market share, MEMS device sales growth of about 5% in 2014, hitting a record high of $7.4 billion ($2013 annual sales of 7 billion). MEMS sensor MEMS devices accounted for 2014 53% of sales ($3.9 billion), and drives accounted for 46% ($3.5 billion).