Why AR9342, AR9344, IPQ4018 and IPQ4028 chip motherboards have faded from the market?

In recent years, the market competition for WiFi chips has become increasingly fierce, and many old chips have been gradually eliminated. The AR9342, AR9344, IPQ4018 and IPQ4028 are Qualcomm's early chips for WiFi routers and wireless communication devices, which are widely used in WiFi 4 and WiFi 5 products. However, these chips and their related motherboards have gradually withdrawn from the market, mainly related to technological upgrading, market demand changes, increased competition and production costs and other aspects. Here is a comprehensive analysis of the problem.

1. ** Chip Introduction **

• AR9342 and AR9344 : These two chips are Qualcomm's SoC chips introduced in the WiFi 4 (802.11n) era, mainly for entry level and mid-range routers. They integrate WiFi capabilities in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, can support dual-band WiFi, and have a MIPS processor core to handle basic routing and networking tasks. The AR9342 and AR9344 have the advantages of good stability and low cost, but their performance is relatively limited, mainly for home users and small businesses.

• IPQ4018 and IPQ4028 : These chips are Qualcomm's SOCs launched in the WiFi 5 (802.11ac) era, targeting the mid-to-high-end market. Unlike the AR series, the IPQ series uses the ARM architecture, has stronger processing power, supports MU-MIMO, multi-band concurrency, and higher bandwidth. This makes IPQ4018 and IPQ4028 a popular choice in the era of WiFi 5, especially suitable for home Mesh networks and the networking needs of smes.

Although these chips had certain technical advantages when they were introduced, they are no longer suitable for market demand under the rapid development of wireless technology.

2. ** Technology upgrade **

With the continuous development of wireless communication technology, the WiFi standard has been upgraded from WiFi 4 (802.11n) to WiFi 6 (802.11ax), WiFi 6E (support for 6GHz band), and even the latest WiFi 7 (802.11be). The new standard brings higher rates, lower latency and better spectral efficiency. In contrast, the AR9342 and AR9344 only support WiFi 4, and the IPQ4018 and IPQ4028 support WiFi 5, but they are no longer able to meet the needs of users for high bandwidth and low latency.

• ** Performance limitations ** : The processing power, throughput, and support for concurrent connections between multiple devices of older chips lag far behind the latest chips. The new chips, such as IPQ807x, IPQ9574 and QCN series, have more computing power and better wireless performance, and can support higher MU-MIMO and OFDMA technologies to improve overall network efficiency and stability.

3. ** Changes in market demand **

• ** Demand for higher bandwidth and multi-device support ** : As the demand for high bandwidth increases in homes and businesses, and more smart devices are connected to the network, the demand for wireless network performance is also increasing. Although IPQ4018 and IPQ4028 have a certain competitiveness in the era of WiFi 5, they are unable to meet the needs of multi-device connectivity and high-speed transmission. Newer chips that support WiFi 6 and WiFi 7 are superior in this regard, so they are gradually replacing these older chips.

• ** The rise of Mesh networks ** : The popularity of Mesh network systems has also changed the market landscape. Older chips often lack optimization for modern Mesh technology, making it difficult to provide a seamless multi-point coverage network experience for homes and businesses. The new generation of WiFi 6, WiFi 6E and even WiFi 7 chips have better Mesh network support, which can bring more smooth wireless roaming and stable coverage.

4. ** Market competition intensifies **

• ** Innovation driven by competitors ** : In the market, manufacturers such as Broadcom and MediaTek are also constantly introducing new WiFi chips. These manufacturers actively introduce new technical standards and reduce chip production costs, making the overall market more competitive. Qualcomm has also had to phase out older products by updating its product line to maintain its leading position in the market.

• ** The entry of emerging manufacturers ** : In recent years, more manufacturers have begun to enter the WiFi chip market, bringing more diversified product choices. Due to the entry of new manufacturers, the market demand for old chips gradually reduced, AR9342, AR9344 and other can no longer compete with new products in performance and price, so they naturally withdrew from the market.

5. ** Production cost and technical support **

** * Rising manufacturing costs ** : With the progress of the chip manufacturing process, the manufacturing cost of old chips has gradually increased. The new generation of chips generally uses more advanced processes, allowing for better power and heat control, while reducing the cost per unit of performance. In comparison, continuing to produce and maintain these old WiFi 4 and WiFi 5 chips is extremely cost-effective.

• ** Transfer of technical support ** : Manufacturers often focus resources on new product lines when providing technical support and updates. Continuing to maintain firmware and software for chips such as AR9342, AR9344, IPQ4018 and IPQ4028 will not only cost manpower and resources, but also slow down the development of new products. Therefore, manufacturers will give priority to stopping support for these chips in order to fully develop and promote a new generation of chips.

6. ** Development of ecosystem **

• **IoT and Smart Home Market drive ** : New wireless technologies are not just for phones and computers, but for the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart home devices. These devices have higher requirements for connection stability, coverage, power consumption, and multi-device access. Older chips were not designed with these needs in mind, making it difficult to continue in the current smart ecosystem.

** Summary **

The withdrawal of AR9342, AR9344, IPQ4018 and IPQ4028 chips reflects the rapid development of wireless communication technology and the urgent need for higher performance and lower power consumption in the market. These chips, although they had a brilliant performance in the era of WiFi 4 and WiFi 5, have been replaced by more powerful and technologically advanced chips. In the future, wireless communication technology will continue to develop in the direction of higher frequency bands, lower latency, and more intelligent, and the upgrading of technology and market competition will continue to promote the iteration of chip products.