Taiwan-based IC vendors expect their shipments of Wi-Fi 6 chips to continue growing in 2021 thanks to continued demand from end-market device clients, according to industry sources.

End-market device vendors have been keen on placing related orders since the second quarter of 2020 to introduce more Wi-Fi 6-enabled devices supporting remote work and learning activities in the wake of the pandemic, said the source.

Additionally, upgrade demand for other peripheral wireless applications is also rising along with the fast deployment of 5G technology, further pushing demand for Wi-Fi 6 chips, added the sources.

Taiwan-based IC vendors, including MediaTek, Realtek Semiconductor and RichWave, are all optimistic about shipments of their related Wi-Fi 6 chips in the next few quarters, as clients are concerned about the supply of chips amid the current tight capacity at most foundry houses, said the sources.

MediaTek and Realtek both highlighted the strong performance of their respective Wi-Fi 6 chip businesses at investors' conference meetings recently and hinted that sales of these chips would remain brisk in the coming year.

RichWave has seen its monthly and quarterly revenues continue hitting highs in most of 2020 as its power amplifier (PA) devices for Wi-Fi connectivity solutions have found their way into the supply chains of a number of network device makers in Taiwan and China, indicated the sources.

RichWave will continue to perform strongly in 2021 as it has been ramping up orders at wafer foundry houses, said the sources.