RF Front-End Module Comparison 2020 – Volume 2

Overview/Introduction

Company Profile

Smartphone Teardowns

Mate 8, P9, Mate 9, P10, Mate 10, P20 Pro, Mate 20, P30 Pro, Mate 20 X (5G), and Mate 30 Pro 5G

Physical Analysis

• Front-End Modules
  • Packages view and dimensions
  • Packages opening
  • Active die views and dimensions
    • Power amplifier
    • SPxT switch
    • LNA
    • RFIC
  • Passive die views and dimensions
    • SAW filters
    • BAW filters
    • IPDs
    • SMD components
  • Component summary
  • Area and distribution number comparison

Comparison Analysis 

• Evolution of Suppliers
• Supported Bands
• Integration Comparison including Area per Supplier, Area per Function and Filters
• Material Comparison including Substrate and Silicon Consumption
• Cost Evolution

Each year System Plus opens up 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 one report offers an opportunity to keep track of the evolution of this technology market.

This year, System Plus Consulting offers different volumes of technical and cost comparisons of Smartphones’ RF FEMs. Every report will focus on a specific subject that can be a player’s evolution, a specific technology, or a comparison of flagship devices.

This second volume provides insights into technology and cost data for FEMs and several other components found in ten smartphones: the Huawei Mate 8, P9, Mate 9, P10, Mate 10, P20 Pro, Mate 20, P30 Pro, Mate 20 X (5G), and Mate 30 Pro 5G. It features a comprehensive overview of the evolution of Huawei’s choices, like changes in architecture from separate Power Amplifier Module with integrated Duplexer (PAMiD) to an integrated solution for Mid- and High Bands. A drop in the number, area and cost of American components is revealed in latest Mate series. Also, the report reveals how Huawei is able to still produce a highly competitive smartphone with 5G Sub-6GHz technology despite the political situation.

With teardowns of the smartphones, the main RF modules and components have been extracted and physically analyzed, from the output of the transceiver to the antenna. Packaging, sizes and technologies are studied to provide a large panel of technical and economical choices and an overview of the market. Also, the report features a comparison with other flagship release by the end of 2019 in term of cost, components and architecture.

Moreover, the report includes a database based on the teardown and provides a statistical analysis for most front-end modules. It also tries to explain the smartphone makers’ choices and supplier tendencies. Wifi and Bluetooth module analyses are not included in this report.

Reverse costing with:

• Detailed photos
• Precise measurements
• Module opening
• Die measurements
• Complete Bills-of-Materials for the modules
• Comparison between suppliers
• Historical evolution of the suppliers
• Historical evolution of RF architecture
• Cost comparisons and evolution
• Detailed technical and cost analysis of 80 components