I. The "Impossible Triangle" of IoT Terminals
With the rapid iteration of IoT terminals, more and more devices are moving towards miniaturization and battery power, while products are facing design challenges such as limited PCB space, insufficient battery life, and unstable wireless connectivity .
This is not an isolated phenomenon in a particular sub-sector, but rather a systemic challenge facing the entire Internet of Things (IoT) industry.
In 2026, global shipments of wireless modules reached 870 million units, with a market size exceeding US$41.2 billion. By 2030, global shipments are projected to climb to 1.52 billion units, with a CAGR of 11.8%, and the market size is expected to reach US$79.8 billion. During the same period, the number of connected IoT devices worldwide is expected to exceed 39 billion. This explosive growth in device numbers is amplifying the challenges of every design dimension into key factors determining product success or failure.
Small size, low power consumption, and high stability—these three requirements are forming the "impossible triangle" in IoT terminal design. In traditional solutions, these three often constrain each other: pursuing small size limits antenna performance, pursuing low power consumption sacrifices transmission rate, and pursuing stability increases power consumption and size. Finding a balance among these three has become a core issue for module solution providers.
II. Challenge 1: Extremely tight PCB space
Industrial driving force of space compression
From smart rings and TWS earphones to micro sensors and smart locks, the physical space of terminal devices is being continuously compressed. The micro battery market is projected to grow from $1.59 billion in 2025 to $1.81 billion in 2026, representing a CAGR of 13.5%. This rapid growth in the micro battery market is a direct reflection of the trend towards device miniaturization —the smaller the device, the higher the requirements for battery volume and energy density.
One of the most challenging problems faced by hardware engineers is achieving high-density, high-stability electrical connections between the daughterboard and the motherboard under extremely limited overall device thickness and PCB space. As an indispensable radio frequency component in the device, the footprint of the wireless module directly determines the feasibility of the overall device layout.
Solution path for miniaturized modules
The industry is addressing the spatial challenges from multiple perspectives.
The O9101SA module from Qogrisys has compressed its size to 12×12mm , while supporting dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and BLE 5.4 with speeds up to 600Mbps . This size is among the industry-leading levels for Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth Combo modules. This extreme size reduction not only allows for more space to be packed in, but also frees up valuable PCB space for other components such as the battery, sensors, and main control chip – the smaller module footprint allows for more storage .
Multi-protocol single-chip integration is another key path. Two independent modules, plus their respective peripheral circuits and antenna clearance, occupy a much larger PCB area than a single multi-protocol integrated module. In small-sized products such as smart bulbs and panel switches, this area is the biggest limiting factor. The Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Combo solution fundamentally reduces PCB footprint by integrating the two protocols into a single chip.
The area occupied by antennas is also significant. Traditional antenna implementations consume 15%-25% of the total PCB area in mobile devices and IoT applications. The emergence of antenna-in-package (AiP) technology integrates the antenna into the module package, achieving space savings of 40%-60% .
Challenge 2: Severely Inadequate Battery Life
The Economics of Range Anxiety
For battery-powered IoT devices, battery life is not a "nice-to-have" but a "life-or-death" issue.
The global IoT battery market was valued at $15.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $36.88 billion by 2033, representing a CAGR of 9.8%. This continued expansion reflects the rigid demand from end devices for longer battery life. The operational lifespan of battery-powered nodes directly impacts maintenance costs and deployment scalability .
The industrial value of low power consumption technology
The low-power Wi-Fi module market is projected to reach $4.142 billion in 2025 and $11.79 billion in 2032, representing a CAGR of 16.4%. The BLE module market is expected to grow to $68.27 billion in 2032, with a CAGR of 13.80%. The robust growth of these two segments confirms that low power consumption has become one of the most crucial competitive dimensions in the module industry.
IV. Challenge 3: Unstable wireless connection
Crowded 2.4GHz and limited antennas
The root cause of unstable wireless connections lies in two structural contradictions.
The first problem is frequency congestion. The 2.4GHz ISM band is shared by multiple protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Thread, resulting in severe co-channel interference. In high-density deployment scenarios such as smart homes and offices, signal conflicts and data rate degradation are commonplace.
The second contradiction is the limitation of antenna performance. Device miniaturization means that the available space for the antenna is compressed, and the antenna efficiency and bandwidth decrease accordingly. There is an inherent physical constraint between radio frequency performance and device size —the smaller the antenna size, the lower the radiation efficiency, and the worse the communication distance and stability.
V. Qogrisys Systemic Solutions
To address the aforementioned triple design challenges, QOGRISYS offers a comprehensive product portfolio, providing end-to-end solutions from chips to modules and from hardware to software.
Extremely Miniaturized Product Matrix
Qogrisys has achieved complete coverage in the field of small-sized modules, from Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 5, and from Combo to single Wi-Fi.
The O9101SA boasts a compact size of 12×12mm , supports dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and BLE 5.4 with speeds up to 600Mbps, and utilizes an SDIO 3.0 interface . It supports a 2.4GHz/5GHz dual-band simultaneous (DBS) architecture , uplink/downlink MU-OFDMA and MU-MIMO, and BT/BLE dual-mode operation . The O9101SA, along with the O9101UE and O9101UD, belongs to the Oufixin 1×1 Wi-Fi 6 module series developed based on the WQ9101 chip . The O9101UE measures 13×12.2mm and uses a USB 2.0 interface; the O9201SB measures only 13×15mm, is also based on the WQ9201 chip, and offers speeds up to 1200Mbps. The O9201UB shares the same platform as the O9201SB and uses a USB 2.0 interface. The O8852PB measures 13×15mm, is based on the Realtek RTL8852BE chip, supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 with a speed of 1200Mbps, and uses a PCIe interface. For scenarios with stricter space constraints, the small size of these modules is particularly advantageous. The smaller module footprint frees up valuable PCB space for other components such as the battery, sensors, and main control chip.
Low-power design: Co-optimization from chip to system
Qogrisys's low-power capability stems primarily from the selection and deep collaboration with upstream chips. The Wuqi WQ9201 chip, with its stable transmission performance and internationally leading low-power consumption , stood out from 364 products from 280 chip companies, winning the 2024 "China Chip" Excellent Technological Innovation Product Award.
Interference Resistance and Stable Connection: Breakthrough Technologies in Dual-Band and Multi-Protocol Integration
O9201SB, O9101UE , and O8852PB all support 2.4GHz/5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi 6. The core value of the dual-band architecture lies in "selectivity"—when the 2.4GHz band becomes congested due to the coexistence of protocols such as Bluetooth and Zigbee, the device can switch to the 5GHz band to ensure transmission speed and connection stability.
Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 also brings core technologies such as OFDMA and MU-MIMO, improving spectrum utilization efficiency in scenarios with multiple concurrent devices. In high-density deployment environments such as smart homes and offices, these technologies directly translate into improved user experience—lower latency, fewer dropped connections, and more stable connections.
Multi-protocol integration is another approach. A single module can simultaneously support multiple protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Thread, and can intelligently select the best connection method according to the environment, flexibly switching between different scenarios.
VI. Industry Outlook: From "Usable" to "Effective"
Looking ahead to 2026-2032, the design trend for small-size, low-power modules will continue to evolve along the following directions:
First, the limits of size will continue to be broken . The competition for module size is far from over, and the approach of physical limits is forcing continuous innovation in packaging technology.
Secondly, low power consumption will shift from a "feature" to a "standard feature." QYResearch data shows that the low-power Wi-Fi module market will continue to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 16.4%. Low power consumption will no longer be a differentiating selling point for high-end modules, but rather a basic requirement for all module products.
Third, multi-protocol integration, miniaturization, and low power consumption will be deeply intertwined. Integrating multiple protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Thread onto a single chip is a fundamental solution to the space and power consumption issues. The widespread adoption of the Matter protocol will further strengthen this trend— future modules will no longer require users to "select" protocols, but will automatically adapt to the optimal connectivity solution based on the environment and application.
Fourth, module selection is evolving from "component procurement" to "strategic decision-making." Under the dual constraints of miniaturization and low power consumption, module selection is no longer merely a comparison of technical parameters, but a strategic choice concerning product definition, development cycle, and time-to-market. A suitable module solution can compress the development cycle from months to weeks and simplify a four-layer PCB to a two-layer PCB .
