Technology, Process and Cost Comparison

RF Front-End Module Comparison 2022 – Focus on UWB Connectivity

By Yole SystemPlus — Dec 2022

Technical and cost overview of the evolution of radio frequency front-end technologies used for UWB connectivity

Key Features

Comparison between UWB chipsets
Cost comparison between the main SoC
Detailed photos
Precise measurements
Materials analysis
Supply chain evaluation
Manufacturing cost analysis
Cost comparison between the main UWB chipsets

Product Objectives

A focus on UWB connectivity from the smartphone and beacon perspectives
Very few OEMs (Apple, Samsung, Google, Xiaomi) are using this technology and very few suppliers (NXP and Qorvo) are involved
A complete cost and technical comparison for the chipset, from the SoC to the antenna for RF location
Investigation of the first indoor location system based on RF signal

Last year, Yole SystemPlus opened hundreds of front-end modules (FEMs) and components to provide an overview of the radio frequency (RF) FEM market in selected flagship smartphones. Gathering the information into four reports, ranging from player’s evolution to world area analysis, offers us an opportunity to keep track of the evolution of this technology market.

This year, Yole SystemPlus again offers different volumes of technical and cost comparisons of smartphone RFFEMs. Every comparison report focuses on a specific subject. It could be a certain player’s evolution, a specific technology, or a comparison of flagship devices.

This particular volume provides insights into the technology and cost data for UWB connectivity in consumer applications, from the master device to the beacon. It features a comprehensive overview of the RFFEM architectures on the market, comparing available smartphones and tags from the following companies: Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Google. The main players in system-on-chip supplying are revealed, along with the different choices in technology node, wafer supply, and system design. Also, this volume reveals how Apple, DecaWave (now Qorvo), and NXP are the only ones that offer the protocol features in the devices on the market. For this report, we chose to work closely on the master and the slave device, i.e., smartphone and tag, to highlight the main differences and design choices between the two.

With teardowns of the smartphones and tags, the main RF components have been extracted and physically analyzed, from the transceiver to the antenna. Packaging, sizes, and technologies are studied in order to provide a large panel of technical and economic choices and an overview of the market.

Every SoC component has been analyzed to better understand the manufacturing process cost.

Lastly, this report includes a technical and cost comparison of the SoC and chipset and attempts to explain the makers’ choices and supplier tendencies. Note that only UWB is integrated in this report.

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RF Front-End Module Comparison 2022 – Focus on UWB Connectivity

Technical and cost overview of the evolution of radio frequency front-end technologies used for UWB connectivity