USB 3.0 and WiDi Make Waves at IDF

The Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco this year was a wild success. The three-day conference combined the brightest minds from companies across the globe, showcasing the latest trends and technologies in the field. Here are a few of the highlights from this year’s conference:

• Growth of Smart-Device Market: Intel CEO Paul Otellini focused his keynote presentation on the growing smart device market. He also highlighted Intel’s upcoming Sandy Bridge processors, Intel’s first mainstream chip integrating graphics function and main processor on the same piece of silicon.
• Wireless Displays (WiDi): Continuing the trend of consumer product interoperability, wireless display technology allows users to mirror their PC’s display to an HDTV, no wires required. Intel Atom processors will soon feature integrated WiDi technologies for netbooks and tablets.
• WeTab: The WeTab, developed by Neofonie and 4tiitoo, is the first tablet running the MeeGo operating system. The tablet offers a flexible user interface and Intel’s high-powered Atom processor. No global release date has been announced.
• SuperSpeed USB Momentum: The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) announced that almost 120 products have passedSuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) certification testing, demonstrating strong industry momentum since the first SuperSpeed USB-certified device was announced at IDF 2009.
• Context-Aware Devices: Justin Rattner, Intel’s chief technology officer and director of Intel Labs, presented a keynote on Wednesday on how personal technology will transform the way consumers interact with technology. Whether it’s cameras detecting movement or analyzing inputted data, such as calendar information, this next wave of devices will anticipate users’ wants and needs.

Wireless Charging: A Whole New Market

The average consumer uses a variety of electronic devices daily – cell phones, laptops, MP3 players, headsets, etc. – all of which require different chargers for keeping gadgets at full battery. In a market driven by mobility and convenience, charging solutions have failed to evolve with the rest of the industry. Not surprisingly, consumers have become annoyed with all these different, often proprietary, cords and connectors. According to recent surveys by In-Stat, approximately 44 percent of respondents found that “current mobile charging solutions are an annoyance,” and “up to 40 percent are willing to pay $50 more for a wireless charging solution.”

This is creating a new market opportunity for wireless charging systems. According to a recent study by In-Stat, the market for wireless charging systems will reach $4.3 billion in total revenue by 2010. These products can charge mobile devices, from phones to PCs to handsets, simply by having the devices touching or within the proximity of a charging station. These charging solutions can often be hidden, or at least seamlessly integrated, into furniture or automobiles; more than two thirds of the integrated charging solutions are expected to be in cars.

“Despite the long history of the various technologies, we are really just now beginning to see the true market potential for wireless charging solutions,” says Jim McGregor, In-Stat’s chief technology strategist. “Like many other technology markets, it will start with add-on and third-party solutions. Eventually solutions will be integrated into many mobile electronics as the costs decrease and the demand increases. While still a fraction of the overall mobile device segment, wireless charging is just beginning to hit its stride in the market.”

As with all technologies designed to service a variety of devices from different vendors, interoperability will be a primary challenge for product designers. Wireless products also face the added difficulty of avoiding interference with other wireless devices. Allion Test Labs will continue to track this industry trend and provide insight for manufacturers.