RF modules and SoCs increasingly combine PAs, filters, switches, tuners, and multiple wireless standards.

GaN is reshaping telecom infrastructure, as China, the U.S., Europe, Japan, and South Korea race for 6G leadership.

Automotive RF is evolving with ADAS radars, Wi-Fi, GNSS, and UWB, while SiGe, GaAs, and CMOS RFICs enable radar functionality.

GaN technologies take the lead in electronic warfare and radar systems as defense and industrial sectors require robust broadband RF components.

The mobile and consumer segments lead the RF market, accounting for the highest share in both revenue and volume. US giants like Qualcomm, Broadcom, Skyworks, and Qorvo dominate, offering advanced RFFE modules and RF SoCs for smartphones and connected devices. In parallel, Samsung and MediaTek serve high-volume markets across Asia, with varied integration strategies.

Chinese RF companies are also part of the playground. They are accelerating efforts to reduce foreign dependency, with leading players like Maxscend, Vanchip, and Smarter Micro. HiSilicon also confirms its return with dedicated in-house RFFE and SoC solutions.

Yole forecasts two fast-growing subsegments by 2030:

RFFE modules: more than $17 billion,

RF SoCs for cellular + Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/GNSS exceeding $23 billion,

Discrete RF devices including PAs, LNAs, switches, and filters with almost $14 billion is also part of this RF landscape.

Filters represent the most dynamic segment and the second largest part of the RF front-end market in terms of value. Filters are the dominant components among discrete devices.

“Since 2022, we have observed a progressive distancing from FBAR and SMR BAW technologies with the penetration of high-performance SAW, which offer similar performance below 3.5GHz and at a lower cost,” says Yole’s Ihor Pershukov, “we expect rapid penetration of high-performance SAW in the coming years.

In telecom infrastructure, GaN technology is gradually replacing LDMOS in massive MIMO base stations. Companies such as NXP, Qorvo, SEDI, and Analog Devices lead this market segment internationally.

However, China is scaling up domestic production of GaN-based RF solutions and LDMOS with suppliers like Sanan IC, Wuatek, and Dynax. The global 6G race is now a critical driver of RF sovereignty strategies, with government-backed programs underway in the US, China, Japan, Korea, and Europe.

RF is becoming essential in automotive ADAS, infotainment, and connectivity. NXP and Infineon  lead with SiGe, CMOS solutions, and GaAs-based radar ICs. In parallel, UWB adoption is accelerating, with Apple, Qorvo, and NXP anchoring the ecosystem across smartphones, smart homes, and vehicles.

In defense, RF innovation focuses on high-power broadband systems for radar, satcom, and EW. Once again, GaN-based designs dominate this market segment.

Meanwhile, industrial and medical applications prioritize reliability and low power, but have long certification cycles.