- Increase in opportunities predicted for high-speed optical transceivers and miniaturized connectivity solutions to address data-intensive applications
- Advances in thermal and power management require investment and innovation in next-gen technologies and emerging industry standards
- Cross-industry collaborations and supply optionality continue to streamline design flexibility and adaptive decision making
LISLE, IL – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 December 2024 – Molex, a global electronics leader and connectivity innovator, predicts an uptick in reliable, durable, high-speed interconnects over the next 12-to-18 months as the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and cloud solutions intensifies across every sector, including data centers, automotive, consumer electronics and medical technology. Increased collaboration among electronics product designers, manufacturing engineers and supply chain specialists also will be needed to address ever-increasing requirements for innovations in thermal and power management, material science, and battery technology, among other pressing priorities.
“We
anticipate
a
consistent
rise
in
connectivity-related
solutions
in
2025
that
will
drive
advancements
in
hyperscale
data
centers
and
software-defined
vehicles
while
reducing
obstacles
and
barriers
for
smaller,
yet
more
powerful
consumer
and
MedTech
devices,”
said
Mike
Deppe,
VP
of
Global
Product
Development,
Molex.
“The
growing
demand
for
data
and
instant
access
to
information
will
continue
to
create
both
opportunities
and
challenges
in
connectivity,
which
we
are
prepared
to
address
on
behalf
of
our
customers,
suppliers
and
technology
partners
worldwide.”
Top 10 Predictions for 2025
1.
Continued
use
of
high-speed
optical
transceivers
for
hyperscale
data
centers
The
rapid
adoption
of
generative
AI
is
escalating
demand
for
massive
processing
and
capacity
scaling
in
hyperscale
data
centers.
In
response,
operators
are
increasing
their
use
of
high-speed
optical
transceivers
for
both
inter-
and
intra-rack
connectivity
to
offer
additional
port
density,
greater
signal
integrity
and
reduced
power
consumption.
2.
Spike
in
224
Gbps
PAM-4
interconnects
requires
thermal
management
improvements
With
deployments
of
224
Gbps
PAM-4
interconnects
growing
and
the
path
to
448
Gbps
PAM-4
coming
into
view,
it
is
clear
that
air-cooled
data
center
solutions
are
reaching
operational
limits.
This
reality
is
driving
the
emergence
of
new
thermal-management
solutions,
including
liquid
cooling
solutions,
such
as
direct-to-chip
and
immersion
cooling.
Molex
is
working
closely
with
customers,
power-ecosystem
partners
and
groups
like
OCP
to
speed
development
of
next-gen
cooling
technologies
and
standards.
3.
Momentum
in
48-Volt
systems
propels
advancements
in
automotive
functionality
By
quadrupling
system
voltage,
48V
technology
boosts
electric
turbocharging,
regenerative
braking,
infotainment
systems,
and
battery
preconditioning
for
auxiliary
charging.
The
delivery
of
higher
current
and
voltage
also
is
crucial
to
increasing
power
efficiencies
in
sensors,
actuators
and
control
units
needed
for
advanced
driver
assistance
systems
(ADAS).
4.
Power
systems
remain
one
of
the
biggest
product
design
engineering
challenges
Unrelenting
demand
to
balance
power
capacity,
functional
safety,
efficiency,
and
cost
and
performance
monitoring
is
driving
aggressive
investment
and
innovation
in
battery
technology,
along
with
solutions
designed
to
reduce
signal
and
power
interference.
5.
Slow
pace
of
5G
rollouts
will
continue
to
stall
as
consumers
await
“killer
apps”
The
arrival
of
Meta’s
Orion
illuminates
the
future
of
AR
glasses
but
will
take
time
to
drive
5G
momentum.
As
“killer
apps”
emerge,
the
pace
of
5G
rollouts
will
gain
speed
accordingly
amid
rising
requirements
for
high-speed
wireless
connectivity,
along
with
the
need
for
small,
dense
connectors,
such
as
the
millions
of
miniaturized
connectors
Molex
supplies
to
leading
mobile
device
manufacturers.
6.
Convergence
of
ruggedized,
miniaturized
connectors
will
fuel
cross-industry
innovations
Use
of
compact,
durable
connectors
with
a
pitch
of
2.54mm
or
less
will
dominate
in
electric
vehicles
and
zonal
architectures
while
gaining
major
traction
in
other
areas,
including
consumer
electronics,
medical
devices,
industrial
automation
and
smart
agriculture.
Blending
the
best
of
miniaturization
and
ruggedization
improves
space
efficiency,
signal
integrity
and
thermal
management.
7.
Advancements
in
material
science
balance
strength,
weight
and
sustainability
The
use
of
digital
twins,
AI
and
material
databases
will
continue
to
play
ever-increasing
roles
in
material
characterization,
processing
innovation,
selection,
application
engineering
and
testing.
Expect
more
material
science
breakthroughs
in
building
miniaturized
connectors,
especially
in
balancing
strength,
weight,
conductivity,
chemical
resistance,
sustainability,
the
use
of
bio-based
materials,
and
more.
8.
Mass
customization
and
consumerization
of
the
automotive
experience
varies
by
market
Vehicle
architecture
development
will
align
with
different
driving
preferences
and
experiences
worldwide.
In
China’s
dynamic
market,
ongoing
experimentations
will
drive
innovation
while
the
European
market,
led
by
German
automakers,
considers
a
mix
of
technologies.
American
OEMs
will
advance
software-driven
architectures,
particularly
in
passenger
and
sport
utility
vehicles.
9.
Cross-Industry
collaborations
to
thrive
as
design
engineers
tap
different
experiences
Continued
cross-industry
collaborations
are
expected
to
increase
at
an
accelerated
pace
as
design
engineers
leverage
expertise
in
hyperscale
data
centers
to
address
concerns
and
challenges
in
power
and
thermal
management,
sensor
fusion
and
signal
integrity
in
automotive
and
consumer
electronics.
10.
Ongoing
supply
chain
volatility
requires
inventory
rebalancing
and
supply
optionality
Operationalizing
intelligence
and
data
to
gain
faster,
more
precise
access
to
real-time
insights
will
lead
to
better
forecasting
and
risk
management,
with
a
shift
toward
predictive,
scenario-based
supply
chain
planning
and
faster,
more
adaptive
decision
making.
Hashtag: #Molex
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