Smart Cards Integrated with Biometrics to Provide Cost-effective and Secure Solutions...

Smart Cards Integrated with Biometrics to Provide Cost-effective and Secure Solutions across All Applications

SINGAPORE--(Business Wire)--
Although integrated smart cards and biometrics technology is only
at an early growth phase, the stage is being set for its exceptional
growth. Industry participants in every part of the value chain are
implementing smart cards integrated with biometrics on an open
platform to ensure interoperability and ease of addition of future
applications. Such long-term planning will ensure the survival of any
integrated solution's implementation.

As such, there is immense opportunity for smart cards in the
untapped markets in Asia. The widespread acceptance of new technology
in the early stages is quite encouraging for smart card participants.
System integrators have realized the need for proper planning and
coordination in order to increase market revenue.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan
(http://www.smartcards.frost.com), APAC Integrated Smart Cards and
Biometrics Markets, finds that the market earned $249.1 million in
2007 and is expected to reach $822.2 million by 2013.

The market has already bagged numerous and significant projects
such as the national ID and e-passport programs. National ID projects
are the most active revenue generators for the market, since all
governments in the Asia Pacific are looking at implementing biometrics
along with smart cards.

A few national ID projects such as those of India's and Malaysia's
have already started using biometric verification, while Japan's and
China's are still at the planning stages. With many more countries
looking at implementing national ID projects, and biometrics being one
of the pre requisites for these projects, the market has good reasons
to feel optimistic.

"The number of national ID projects that are in the pipeline in
the Asia Pacific shows the huge potential for smart cards integrated
with biometrics," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Navin
Rajendra. "Furthermore, with the implementation of the e-passport
program coming to an end by 2008, new issuance of passports by the
countries under the U.S. VISA Waiver program will add significantly to
the unit shipment growth."

The market growth rate in 2006 was 55.2 percent, despite many of
the national ID projects not operating at full scale. Considering even
corporate security, banking, and e-passport programs have not reached
their full potential, the unit shipment growth is expected to rocket
in spite of fluctuations in the growth rate.

Apart from enhancing security, the integration of biometrics with
smart cards eliminates the need for multiple identification
requirements. This means that no time is lost in retrieving passwords
or keys.

Integrated systems also offer cost-conscious organizations with an
opportunity to provide high levels of security at affordable prices.
However, smart cards integrated with biometrics still faces
competition from low-cost, conventional access control systems.

"In a market where pricing is crucial, it is important for
industry participants to implement projects that have provisions for
addition of future applications," notes Rajendra. "Such
implementations will also ensure that the integrated cards will not be
obsolete in the future."

Moreover, integrated smart cards and biometrics offers a level of
security that cannot be achieved by smart cards and biometrics as
stand-alone technologies. Several end users (most notably,
governments) are well aware of the potential of this integrated
technology in various areas ranging from the rural sector to the most
highly secure environments of government institutions. Such extensive
adoption of the technology is expected to hold the market in good
stead.

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides
manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants with an
overview of the APAC Integrated Smart Cards and Biometrics Markets,
then send an e-mail to Donna Jeremiah, Corporate Communications, at
djeremiah@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title,
telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state
and country. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will
be sent to you by e-mail.

APAC Integrated Smart Cards and Biometrics Markets is part of the
Smart Cards Growth Partnership Services, which also includes research
in the following markets: Global smart cards market, World Banking
(Financial and Loyalty) Smart Cards Market and Global Smart Card IC
Market. All research services included in subscriptions provide
detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been
evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.
Interviews with the press are available.

Frost & Sullivan, the Global Growth Consulting Company, partners
with clients to accelerate their growth. The company's Growth
Partnership Services, Growth Consulting, and Career Best Practices
empower clients to create a growth-focused culture that generates,
evaluates, and implements effective growth strategies. Frost &
Sullivan employs over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global
1000 companies, emerging businesses, and the investment community from
more than 30 offices in six continents. For more information about
Frost & Sullivan's Growth Partnerships, visit www.frost.com.

APAC Integrated Smart Cards and Biometrics Market

P0E2

Frost & Sullivan
Corporate Communications - Southeast Asia
Donna Jeremiah, +603 6304 5832
Fax: +603 6201 7402
djeremiah@frost.com
or
Corporate Communications - North America
David Escalante, 210-477-8427
Fax: 210-348-1003
david.escalante@frost.com
or
Corporate Communications - Europe
Joanna Lewandowska, +48 22 390 41 46
joanna.lewandowska@frost.com
or
Corporate Communications - South Asia
Ravinder Kaur, +91 44 42044760
Fax: +91 44 24314264
ravinder.kaur@frost.com
or
Corporate Communications - Middle East
Shwetha Thomas, +91 22 4001 3429
Fax: +91 22 2832 4713
sthomas@frost.com
or
Corporate Communications - Latin America
Jose Maria Jantus, +54-11-4777-9951
Fax: +54-11-4777-0071
jose.jantus@frost.com
or
Corporate Communications - China
Amelia Wong, +86 21 5407 5783, Ext. 8669
Mobile: +86 13621724823
amelia.wong@frost.com
or
Corporate Communications - Australia & New Zealand
Sharmin Jassal, +61 2 8247 8900
Fax: +61 2 9252 8066
sharmin.jassal@frost.com
or
Corporate Communications - Africa
Patrick Cairns, +27 83 258 4219
patrick.cairns@frost.com
www.frost.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008