FRAMINGHAM, MA - The consumer semiconductor market will more than double between 2004 and 2009, expanding from just over $14 billion to almost $30 billion, a new IDC study predicts. The market will experience the fastest year-over-year growth rates through 2007.

Consumer semiconductor growth is fueled by increasing importance in existing and developing end-products in the "digital home" environment. Consumer semiconductors are the enablers of both the underlying technology and the consumer-facing features of the digital home.

"The consumer semiconductor market is one of the fastest growing and most challenging segments in the semiconductor industry," said IdaRose Sylvester, senior research analyst at IDC. "With opportunity comes significant technological, market and competitive challenges, and only the most strategically-focused semiconductors vendors are going to benefit substantially from this growth."

The consumer semiconductor landscape is on the verge of dramatic evolution. Some markets such as digital TV represent great growth and potential for new entrants, but other markets, such as DVD offer moderate expansion and exceptional challenges. Due to these forces, the market in 2009 will be dramatically different than it is today.