A follow up to my post yesterday ….
Single mode voice enabled WiFi chip makers like Conexant and CSR have their versions of dual mode handset chips. And so have others. Not many seem to admit that single mode VoWiFi is a declining application. Conexant sees both markets remaining intact.
It seems like the main markets for single mode VoWiFi will be the enterprise segment: enterprises with large campuses having mostly the On-Net calling requirements. Universities, Factories, Hospitals and Fire & Emergency departments are also the likely candidates. These entities all have either large campuses and/or their calling pattern is limited within the group of their colleagues, peers, etc.
One thing that goes in favor of single mode VoWiFi is the fact that WiFi is a standard technology as compared to FMC standards like UMA and IMS/VCC which are rather half baked. But that I suppose should not matter as long as FMC works for the end user.
So the verdict from chip makers is this: single mode VoWiFi is here to stay, but the stay might be confined to certain types of businesses. So it will effectively become a niche application. And niche markets have niche requirements. So the chip inside needs to add specific functionalities, according to both Conexant and CSR.
These vendors point out the following possible functionalities: scanners and bar code readers for inventory tracking businesses like courier services; push to talk for Fire and Emergency Department; nurse being able to update doctor remotely about the status of patients in hospitals; library book status for universities and colleges; etc.
One more factor I would like to mention before concluding this post. Although WiFi and WiMax seem complementary technologies, one has not seen both in play on a wide scale. It therefore remains to be seen what direction single mode VoWiFi market will take once WiMax become ubiquitous.