Sony plans to ramp up its CIS production capacity by 31% in 2016 focusing on mid-range and entry-level models, which may result in unfavorable impact on the CIS supply chain in Taiwan, according to Digitimes Research.
Since 2011, Sony has led the CIS industry with its cutting-edge stacked CMOS, SME-HDR and on-chip PDAF technologies, with plans to triple its lens module shipments during the period from 2014-2017, Digitimes Research noted.
Samsung Electronics has not used in-house developed CIS products on its flagship models for over one-and-a-half years, not even in the recently released Galaxy Note 5, which instead comes with a Sony IMX240 sensor.
Samsung's adoption of Sony's CIS sensors may affect confidence of other first-tier smartphone brands on Samsung's CIS products, which in return is likely to force the Korea company's CIS business unit to cooperate with second-tier handset brands. Consequently, such a development will cast unfavorable impact on other CIS players, including Ominivision, Aptina Imaging (now On Semiconductor) and those in Taiwan, Digitimes Research commented.