Multimedia handset refers to handset is capable of obtaining and handling various kinds of data including text, graphics, image, animation, audio and video, in addition to voice service.

Composition of Multimedia Phone

The handset industry has undergone three typical stages in its development, characterized by the upgrading of multimedia functions. At least another two upgrading stages are expected in the near future. Handsets will gradually transfer from communication tool into multimedia terminal.

Development Stages of Multimedia Handsets

The former three technology progress has reshaped the image of handset as simply a communication device. The multimedia elements constantly flow in and the function of entertainment has been highlighted subsequently.

At the beginning of 2001, as chord ring tones have satisfied consumer's psychological needs, then a competition heat for chords occurred and this upsurge lasted all through 2003. Samsung chord phone made a great success then. Meanwhile, a huge market for downloading ring tone has been created.

In 2002, the display screen of handset upgraded constantly. STN was gradually replaced by TFT and CSTN. Besides, the image performance of handset was further improved, so another sales peak appeared in handset industry. At the same time, the mobile value-added market featured by image + ring-tone started expanding rapidly.

In 2003, the debut of camera phone caught mass attention. Thanks to the hot sales of camera phones, a competition of camera module upgrading occurred in 2004. However, as the entertainment function of camera phone (photos) failed to perform as widely as ring tone downloading, plus other factors, consumers became less interested in camera phone.

In early 2005, the handset market turned calm except for the highlights from ultra-thin phones like MOTO V3. At this time, MP3 handset emerged in the market and some foreknown handset manufacturers took the lead to launch MP3 handset. From then on, music has been dug out as a potential demand of consumers.

Nearly all of the mainstream manufacturers joined in the development army for music handset in the year of 2006.

Obviously, the progress of handset technology won't stop here. As a matter of fact, a new starting point is just in front of us. IC technology makes the functions of chip more diversified, moreover, its dimension is becoming smaller and smaller, which will directly lead to the appearance of completely new consumer electronics such as DV handset, TV handset, game handsets, and etc.

Classification of Multimedia Handsets

Multimedia is no longer the obvious feature of high-end handset but the standard configuration for mainstream handset in the future for the cost of these functions is becoming much lower, and any consumer is able to afford it once it is lower than USD 10 dollars.

2 Chord Handsets
2.1 Development
2.2 Analysis of sound source chips
2.2.1 YAMAHA
2.2.2 OKI
2.2.3 ROHM
2.2.4 NEC
2.3 Launch trend 
2.4 Analysis of sales 
2.5 Future development

3 FM Handsets
3.1 Development
3.2 Status quo of FM decoder chips
3.2.1 Philips
3.2.2 SANYO
3.2.3 ST Microelectronics
3.3 Launch trend
3.4 Analysis of sales volume
3.5 Development trends

4 MP3 Handsets
4.1 Development
4.2 Status quo of FM decoder chips
4.2.1 MACRONIX
4.2.2 FANGTEK
4.2.3 NEC
4.2.3 Other potential players in handset MP3 decoder chips market
4.3 Development direction of MP3 decoder chips
4.4 Launch of MP3 handsets
4.5 Sales trends
4.6 Problems in the development of MP3 handsets

5 DC Handsets
5.1 Development
5.2 Module architecture
5.2.1 Lens
5.2.2 Sensors
5.2.3 Chip for back-end graphic processing
5.2.4 FPC
5.2.5 Camera module assembling
5.3 Development of camera module
5.3.1 Camera module assembling
5.3.1.1 Primax Electronics
5.3.1.2 Premierimage
5.3.1.3 Chicony Electronics
5.3.1.4 Tekom Technologies
5.3.1.5 Liteon Semiconductor
5.3.1.6 Cowell World Optech
5.3.1.7 Samsung Electro-Mechanics  
5.3.2 CMOS sensor
5.3.2.1 Market analysis of CMOS
5.3.2.2 OmniVision
5.3.2.3 Agilent
5.3.2.4 Micron
5.3.2.5 ST Microelectronics
5.3.2.6 MAGNACHIP
5.3.2.7 Samsung Electro-Mechanics 
5.3.2.8 IC-MEDIA technology
5.3.2.9 PixArt Technologies
5.3.2.10 ElecVision
5.3.2.11 TransChip
5.3.3 CCD sensor in handset
5.3.3.1 CCD market analysis
5.3.3.2 Sony
5.3.3.3 Panasonic
5.3.3.4 SHARP
5.3.3.5 Sanyo
5.3.3.6 Fuji
5.3.3.7 Mitsubishi Motor
5.3.4 Development direction of camera module (comparison between CMOS and CCD)
5.4 Launch of DC handset
5.5 Sales volume and global development trends for DC handset

6 DV Handsets
6.1 Development
6.2 Development of back-end graphic processing IC of handsets
6.2.1 Status quo of back-end graphic processing IC
6.2.1.1 Core Logic
6.2.1.2 Mtekvision
6.2.2 Development direction of back-end graphic processing IC
6.3 Launch of DV handset
6.4 Development trends of DV handset market

7 MP4 Handsets
7.1 Development of MP4 Handsets 
7.2 Analysis of video standard development
7.2.1 Status quo of video standard 
7.2.2 Development trends of video standard
7.3 Analysis on provider of application processor
7.3.1 Philips semiconductor
7.3.2 Renesas
7.3.3 NeoMagic
7.3.3 ST Microelectronic
7.3.4 Vimicro
7.3.5 Anyka Cayman
7.3.6 MediaTek
7.3.7 Intel
7.3.8 Qualcomm
7.3.9 Others
7.4 Launch and sales volume of MP4 handset
7.5 Development trends

8 Stream Media Handsets
8.1 Development
8.2 Analysis of solution for Stream Media
8.2.1 Windows Media Player
8.2.2 Realnetworks
8.2.3 Packet video
8.2.4 Funinhand Player
8.3 Launch and sales trend
8.4 Development trends

9 TV Handsets
9.1 Development
9.2 TV transmitting based on mobile networks
9.3 TV transmitting based on broadcast networks 
9.3.1 DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast£­Handheld)
9.3.2 DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting)
9.3.3 ISDB-T (Integrated Service Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial)
9.3.4 MidiaFLO
9.4 Analysis on development of transmitting way
9.5 Launch of TV handset
9.6 Sales volume and global development trends 
9.7 Problems

10 Game Handsets
10.1 Development of game handset
10.2 Development of acceleration chip for 2D/3D multimedia
10.2.1 ATI
10.2.2 NVIDIA
10.3 Launch and sales trends
10.4 Development trends

11 Analysis of consumer recognition of multimedia handsets