Consumer Market

Research shows that the demand for consumer electronics such as gaming consoles, MP3 players, smartphones, LCD TVs, and digital cameras continues to grow, driving the continuous rise of the connector market. According to In-Stat, the global set-top box market value is expected to reach $1.3 billion in 2014. A survey by DisplaySearch shows that the global TV shipments will exceed 242 million units in 2010, with a year-on-year growth of 15%, and is expected to exceed 266 million units by 2014.

In the international market, the top ten connector manufacturers are mainly concentrated in the United States, Japan, France, and China.

In mainland China, there are over 1,000 connector manufacturers, including around 300 foreign-invested enterprises and around 700 local manufacturers, mainly distributed in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions. Domestic connector manufacturers in China generally have smaller scale and weaker strength. Some military enterprises have advantages in technology research and development, but their product applications are mainly focused on military products, with insufficient mass production capabilities. There is a certain gap in substantial competition due to different target markets.

Medical Market

According to a survey report by BCCResearch, the global market size of home medical devices is expected to reach $20.4 billion in 2012, with an annual growth rate of 6.8%. Medical electronics will become a new growth point for connector applications. It is estimated that by 2011, the connector market in the medical field will reach $1.63 billion.

Mobile Phone Market

Connectors are one of the most important components in mobile phones, with an average of 8 connectors required per phone. According to a report by CodaResearch, global smartphone shipments are expected to reach 2.5 billion units from 2010 to 2015, with a compound annual growth rate of 24%. Data from Analysys International shows that in the first quarter of 2010, China's 3G mobile phone sales reached 6.113 million units, with a month-on-month growth rate of 65.97%. With the continuous development of the mobile phone market, the mobile phone connector market will continue to grow.

The types of connectors used in mobile phones include internal FPC connectors and board-to-board connectors, as well as external I/O connectors, battery connectors, SIM card connectors, and Camera Sockets.

Influenced by the demand for 3G and smartphones, the current development direction of mobile phone connectors is low height, small pitch, multifunctionality, good electromagnetic compatibility, and a combination of standardization and customization.

Automotive Market

The automotive connector market is the largest segment in the connector market, with a typical light vehicle having approximately 1,500 connection points. According to statistics from Bishop & Associates, the automotive connector market is expected to continue growing, reaching a market size of $13.4 billion by 2011.

Computer Market

A report by market research company In-Stat shows that by 2014, the global shipments of mobile computing devices, including tablets, netbooks, smartbooks, and laptops, will maintain a compound annual growth rate of 19.1%. It is estimated that the global shipments of laptops will reach 291 million units by 2014. Connectors are used in about 5-12 sets per computer, and the steady development of the computer market drives the continuous growth in connector demand.