Bluetooth Smart, ZigBee and Thread Lead
WSN Device Shipments to 930 Million in 2018

ON World’s recently published Wireless Sensor Networks Markets report covers 50 wireless Internet of Things (IoT) market segments and all of the major WSN technologies including ZigBee, 802.15.4, 6LoWPAN, Thread, Bluetooth Smart, WiFi, EnOcean, Z-Wave and others.

San Diego, CA Sept. 30, 2014— Multi-purpose wireless sensor network (WSN) devices using multiple sensors and communication technologies are revolutionizing the Internet of Things, according to global technology research firm ON World.  

“Wireless sensing is one of the key innovation areas for the Internet of Things,” says Mareca Hatler, ON World’s research director.  “Advanced power management techniques, mesh networking and MEMS sensors have made WSN a reality and now the focus is on expanding the capabilities of individual devices without increasing costs through highly integrated components.”

Two WSN market landscapes have emerged: fixed and mobile sensing.  Fixed WSNs feature sensors and especially gateways and/or repeaters that tend to stay in one location.  Mobile sensing devices are worn or carried by the user.  In 2018, there will be 930 million annual device shipments for WSN markets.  At this time, fixed WSNs will make up three-quarters of the shipments but mobile sensing networks will increase the fastest and make up 39% of the revenues.  Almost 1 in 5 wireless sensing devices will use more than one WSN technology significantly increasing unit shipments for some WSN technologies over the projection period.

IEEE 802.15.4-- including ZigBee, the IP wireless mesh Thread protocol, and others-- will have the largest number of cumulative shipments for WSN markets between 2013 and 2018.  However, Bluetooth Smart will take lead in annual shipments at this time as its use continues to grow in new mobile sensing markets as well as expanding opportunities for existing WSN markets.

Supported by thousands of mobile developers, Bluetooth Smart has had ongoing advances making it suited to a range of WSN markets.  Some of these include CSR’s Mesh networking layer and support for dedicated channels that will likely support IPv6 in the future.  IEEE 802.15.4 continues to drive WSN adoption worldwide with support by industry/standards groups such as the Wi-SUN Alliance, Connected Lighting Alliance, ECHONET Consortium, ISA, HCF and the Thread Group.  The ubiquity of WiFi will make it one of the top three WSN technologies within the next five years.  

By 2018, IEEE 802.15.4, Bluetooth Smart and WiFi will make up over 80% of the WSN unit shipments.  Within the next few years, multi-mode chipsets will become widespread, supporting more applications and choices while lowering costs.

As the Internet of Things (IoT) industry expands, competition has intensified for WSN companies and consolidation through acquisitions is underway.  But this has not slowed the number of new entrants and startups.  By the end of 2013, WSN startups had raised $3.4 billion in venture funding and the majority of this was raised within the last few years.  In addition, many startups are seeding their ventures with crowd funding.  The number of open IoT developer platforms has accelerated recently with Nest’s open API developer program, Apple’s HomeKit and SmartThings, a recent Samsung acquisition.

Based on thousands of interviews and surveys with executives across the whole global WSN value chain, Wireless Sensor Networks Markets includes analysis and in-depth market size forecasts on 50 WSN market segments including by device, chipset and technology with revenues for equipment, services and RF modules/chipsets.

The report synopsis and a free executive summary are available from: http://onworld.com/wsn

About ON World:
ON World provides global business intelligence on smart technology markets. For the past decade, our research reports and information services have been used by Fortune 1000 companies, startups and investors worldwide.

Media contact:
Mary Purvis
e: purvis at onworld.com
ph: 858-259-2397

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