MEMS Microphones Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Digital, Analog), By SNR, By Technology (Capacitive, Piezoelectric), By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025

Report Overview

The global MEMS microphone market size was valued at USD 1,207.7 million in 2018 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.4% from 2019 to 2025. The growth of the market can be attributed to the increasing demand for smartphones, IoT-enabled devices, virtual reality (VR) headsets, hearing aids, and other consumer electronics as well as to the smart city initiatives being pursued in various parts of the world. The rising levels of disposable income that have triggered the demand for smartphones are expected to emerge as one of the major factors driving the demand for MEMS microphones. At the same time, the growing aging population, which is suffering from hearing impairment, has triggered the demand for hearing aids featuring superior-quality microphones, which is also expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period.

The emergence of piezoelectric technology has paved the way for manufacturing MEMS microphones with a higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) between 64dB and 66dB, which are usually preferred for far-field audio applications to differentiate a sound from the background noise. Such microphones tend to be more durable, sturdy, power-efficient, and tolerant of dust and moisture. However, higher-SNR MEMS microphones turned out to be too large for smartphones. Hence, these piezoelectric technology-based MEMS microphones are currently limited to remote-controlled devices and portable smart speakers.

The emergence of virtual reality (VR) and IoT-enabled smart devices has opened new opportunities for MEMS microphones. These microphones are usually installed in IoT-enabled smart devices, such as Amazon Echo smart speakers that operate on speech voice recognition commands. The headsets catering to users’ immersive experience for VR- based movies and gaming also feature MEMS microphones. Such new application areas are expected to boost the demand for MEMS microphones over the forecast period.

Another area where MEMS microphones have been making strides is in the integration of IoT and VR. Such an integration envisages creating a surreal experience for users by immersing them within the virtual world. The recent construction of VR Star theme park in China, purely for consumers' immersive experience can be considered as an example of such an integration. This, in turn, is expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period.

The rising demand for other consumer electronics is also expected to drive the market growth. Other consumer electronics include electronic products, such as tablets, laptops, portable media players, speech recognition systems, personal computers, surveillance cameras, 3D cameras, radars, anti-theft alarms, headphones, smart speakers, music recorders, and various home appliances, including air conditioners, refrigerators, and service robots. Enhancing the overall acoustic impact by canceling any unwanted background noise is very important for these consumer electronics. Hence, microphones used in these consumer electronics need to boast special and unique characteristics. MEMS technology can play a crucial role in this end.

Type Insights

Based on type, the global MEMS microphone market has been further segmented into digital and analog. The analog segment is expected to witness steady growth over the forecast period. There is a huge demand for analog output-type microphones for use in the majority of the smartphones. These microphones typically account for approximately 70%-80% of the global market at present. Samsung is the only company using digital MEMS microphones in its smartphones.

When compared to analog output-type microphones, digital output-type microphones are more expensive and less sensitive to electromagnetic interference. Hence, they are preferred in laptops, particularly because of their immunity to the friction caused by the liquid crystal display (LCD) unit. As such, the digital segment is expected to register a higher growth rate as compared to the analog segment. Most of the MEMS microphones launched in the future would be digitally-enabled microphones and analog microphones would gradually become obsolete.

SNR Insights

Based on SNR, the market for MEMS microphones has been further segmented into very high (>=64dB), high (>=60dB, <64dB), and low (<=59dB). The very high (>= 64dB) SNR MEMS microphones capture sounds with high audio quality and are capable of easily distinguishing a sound from background noise. Hence, they are mostly used to capture sound from far-field applications. The very high (>=64dB) segment is expected to register a higher growth rate as a result, followed by the high (>=60dB, <64dB) and low (<=59dB) segments.

The high (>=60dB, <64dB) SNR MEMS microphones are usually used in camcorders, tablets, laptops, smartphones, and earphones, among others. They have been highly popular before the introduction of piezoelectric technology-based MEMS microphones with a higher SNR. The low (<=59dB) SNR MEMS microphones offer similar or better audio quality as compared to the electret condenser microphones. Their miniature size serves as an added advantage. Miniaturization of microphones particularly aids in better functioning of electronic devices.

Technology Insights

Based on technology, the market for MEMS microphones has been further segmented into capacitive and piezoelectric. The capacitive technology has conventionally dominated the market and is considered to be the best choice for high (>= 64dB) SNR MEMS microphones as it does not compromise with the size and the form factor of the MEMS microphones. Microphones based on the capacitive technology capture sounds using a capacitor made of a rigid backplate and flexible diaphragm. But the design allows the sound transducer to move freely in response to extreme sound pressures, thereby limiting the performance of the microphone.

On the other hand, piezoelectric technology offers a better SNR due to the usage of scandium-doped AIN film, which also aids in eliminating the sound damping. One of the main features of the piezoelectric products is that they contribute to a steady performance and are less susceptible to deterioration even after used for longer periods. They are also free from the capacitive gap that can be sensitive to dust and moisture and can hence offer a very fast pick up time. The piezoelectric segment is expected to gain more traction over the forecast period owing to the huge demand for piezoelectric technology-based microphones for use in audio devices, such as portable smart speakers, car infotainment systems, and loudspeakers, among others.

Application Insights

Based on application, the market for MEMS microphones has been further segmented into mobile phones, other consumer electronics, IoT & VR, hearing aids, and others. The hearing aids, other consumer electronics, and IoT & VR segments are anticipated to register high growth rates over the forecast period. A rise in the levels of disposable income, particularly in emerging economies, has led to an increase in the demand for smartphones and other sophisticated consumer electronics. This, in turn, is expected to increase the adoption of MEMS microphones in the mobile phones segment over the forecast period. Similarly, advances in technology have paved the way for seamless integration of IoT with VR platforms, thereby driving the demand for high-quality microphones. Of late, miniaturization has also resulted in an upsurge in the adoption of superior-quality microphones for use in hearing aids. Miniaturization has particularly aided in maintaining the aesthetics of hearing aids without compromising with the capability to capture the right audio sounds and canceling the background noise, thereby helping the aging people and others suffering from hearing impairment.

The other segment covers industries and end-use verticals, such as oil & gas, construction, robotics, telepresence, manufacturing, automation, automotive, and medical telemetry, among others. MEMS microphones are expected to be increasingly adopted by these industries and end-use verticals over the forecast period. For instance, in the automotive industry, MEMS microphones are used for beamforming, active noise cancellation, infotainment systems, and diagnosis of engine problems for the prevention of potential crashes. Similarly, in medical telemetry, MEMS microphones are used as part of the wireless radio technology to monitor the pulse and respiration rates of patients remotely and raise alerts in case of any medical emergency.

Regional Insights

Among the key regional markets covered in the report, Asia Pacific is dominating the MEMS microphone market owing to the presence of well-established manufacturing facilities in China, the Philippines, and Thailand, among others. The Asia Pacific regional market is expected to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period as a result of the continued proliferation of smartphones, hearing aids, other consumer electronics, and IoT & VR devices in the region. The MEA regional market is also expected to witness considerable growth. Given that VR is still in its nascent stages, several hackathon events are being convened frequently to popularize the VR technology in the MEA regional market, thereby increasing the demand for MEMS microphones in the region.

However, the prices of MEMS microphones are expected to decline over the forecast period. The profit margins for manufacturers are expected to plummet subsequently. Nevertheless, MEMS microphones are anticipated to proliferate in a myriad of industries and end-use verticals, including automotive, agriculture, telepresence, industrial manufacturing, oil & gas, construction, and medical telemetry, among others. As a result, the unit shipments of MEMS microphones are expected to increase over the forecast period.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market is highly consolidated with few companies accounting for a major share. To stay ahead in the intensifying competition, the key players are emphasizing on investing in research and development activities and entering into partnerships with established players. They are also improvising their distribution strategies by collaborating with distributors to have a global reach.

Manufacturers are also emphasizing on rolling out a robust network of partners in various countries. Most companies prefer such a strategy as it helps them in gradually strengthening their foothold in the global market. For instance, CUI Inc. entered into a distribution agreement with Master Electronics and Arrow Electronics, Inc. while DB Unlimited signed a distribution agreement with Symmetry Electronics. On the other hand, TDK Corporation’s InvenSense, Inc. extended its distribution agreement with Symmetry Electronics worldwide. Some of the prominent players in the MEMS microphones market include:

• Knowles LLC

• InvenSense, Inc.

• STMicroelectronics; Cirrus Logic, Inc.

• CUI, Inc.

• Infineon Technologies AG

• AAC Technologies

• Goertek

• Vesper Technologies Inc.

MEMS Microphones Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global MEMS microphones market report based on type, SNR, technology, application, and region:

• Type Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Digital

  • Analog

• SNR Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Very high (>=64dB)

  • High (>=60 dB, < 64 dB)

  • Low (<= 59 dB)

• Technology Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Capacitive

  • Piezoelectric

• Application Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Mobile Phones

  • Other Consumer Electronics

  • IoT & VR

  • Hearing Aids

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    •  The U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    •  Germany

    • U.K.

  • Asia Pacific

    •  China

    •  India

    • Japan

  • Latin America

    •  Brazil

    • Colombia

  • Middle East & Africa (MEA)