Status of the CMOS Image Sensors Industry Report 2012-2017

Tablets are poised to boost CIS sales in the consumer market; the majority of tablets have one or two cameras, similarly to mobile phones. We forecast that the CIS sales for tablets will represent nearly $1.5B in 2017! From another standpoint, car manufacturers have begun equipping cars with multiple cameras, pushed by upcoming regulations promoting greater safety and driver assistance. The automotive market is expected to reach $400M in 2017, and will drive the need for high-performance sensors with special features, e.g. global shutter, very high dynamic range, and low-light sensitivity. This is completely different from the phone market which is still in the race for higher resolution.

The report describes in detail each application in terms of market size, competitive analysis, technical requirements, technology trends and business drivers.

NEW BUSINESS MODELS AND NEW STRATEGIES EMERGE FROM A FRAGMENTING SUPPLY CHAIN

As volumes increase, a clear duality appears between companies that have adopted a growth strategy by focusing on low-end markets and those opting for a specialization in high-end and higher margin markets to maintain profitability such as STMicro and Aptina.

Back in 2009, Omnivison was the only major fabless image sensor manufacturer, but that situation is set to change: the fablight/foundry business models will be more and more successful in the future, fueled by the new business model adopted by players that are not completely integrated up to the system level.

STMicroelectronics is about to outsource its backside illumination image sensor production to United Microelectronics Corp. (Taiwan), and Aptina Imaging already outsources its 12-inch production to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. The only companies that are financially sustainable with an IDM model are vertically integrated from leading-edge 300 mm CIS manufacturing up to the system level: Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba. This report describes in detail market share for each CMOS image sensor vendor and manufacturer, and how the value is distributed along the CIS value chain.

BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED CMOS IMAGE SENSORS TO REPRESENT MORE 50% OF TOTAL REVENUES IN 2017

As expected in 2010, the CMOS image sensor industry has evolved since the introduction of Backside Illumination Technology (BSI). Though BSI technology increases manufacturing costs by 20 %, it enables a dramatic increase in sensor sensitivity which allows pixel size to further decrease; thus continuing the race toward higher resolution in mobile phone and DSC markets.

Three years after its introduction by Sony and Omnivision, the BSI technology is still limited to a small number of players: main leaders of the mobile phone market. BSI image sensors account for
25 % of total CIS sales in 2012. This fast adoption of the BSI technology is expected to reach more than 70 % by 2017, increasing revenue to $7.7B.

BSI adoption began in consumer markets: mobile phone, camcorders and DSC, but now that TowerJazz, the Israeli specialty open foundry, has developed an operational BSI production line, BSI is expected to find adoption in higher-end markets where CMOS is in competition with CCD.

In the report are market forecasts of the BSI technology penetration, and expected sales to 2017, along with a detailed overview of the players, supply chain, and the main technical challenges induced by the technology.

In the near future, high potential technologies may quickly reshape the imaging industry, namely 3D Time-of-Flight imaging, computational imaging, quantum dot film, and single photon counting. The next technological breakthrough will likely come once again from Sony which has developed the first stacked sensor architecture for consumer market. Stacking pixels on the signal processing circuit rather than next to each other will optimize the manufacturing process of each circuit and provide sensors with greater sensitivity, faster readout, and much higher signal processing integration. In that report you will find a selection of promising technologies that may reshape the CIS industry.

To provide market data on key CIS market metrics & dynamics:
- CMOS image sensor unit shipments, revenue and wafer production by application.
- Market share with a detailed breakdown for each player.
- Application focus on key areas of growth for CMOS image sensors (automotive, DSC, medical, …)
To provide key technical insight about future technology trends & challenges:
- From a manufacturing standpoint: design & front-end innovations.
- A special focus is done on the BSI (Backside illumination) technology
To provide in-depth understanding of the CIS value chain, infrastructure & players:
- What are the CMOS image sensor players (IDMs, foundries, design houses) and how are they related
- More generally, which are the key suppliers to watch and how will the CMOS image sensor industry evolve.

CMOS Image Sensor Players:
- Evaluate market potential of future technologies and products for new applicative markets
- Screen potential new suppliers
- Monitor and benchmark your competitor’s advancements
CMOS & Packaging Foundries:
- Spot new opportunities and define diversification strategies
- Position your company in the moving CMOS imaging value
Electronic Module Makers & Original Equipment Makers:
- Evaluate the benefits of using new technologies in your system
- Screen and select new image sensor suppliers
Assembly & Test Service Companies:
- Get the list of the Top CMOS image sensor players
Equipment & Material Manufacturers:
- Understand the evolution of image sensor
- Understand the differentiated value of your products and technologies in this market
- Identify new business opportunities and prospects
Financial & Strategic Investors:
- Understand the potential of new imaging technologies
- Get the list of main key players and emerging start-ups of this industry

ACTi Corp, Adimec, Advantest, Advasense, AIE, Alexima, Allied Vision Technology, Anafocus, Anteryon, Aphesa, Aptina Imaging, Austria Microsystems, Axis Communication, Awaiba, Basler, Bosch security systems, Brainvision, Brigates, Brookman Technology, BYD, Caeleste, Canon, Carestream Dental, Carestream Health, Clairpixel, CMOSIS, CMOS Vision, CMT Medical, Cognex, Continental, Crysview, CSEM, Dahua Technologies, Denso, Delphi, DEXIS, D-Link, Delphi, Dongbu HiTek, DXG, e2v, e-con systems, ELMOS, EPFL, Excico, Fairchild Imaging, FLIR, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Forza Silicon, Fotonic, Foveon, Fraunhofer, Fujitsu, GalaxyCore, Gendex, Given Imaging, Grace Tech, Hamamatsu Photonics, Hella, Hightec, Hejian, Hikvision, Himax imaging, HHNEC-Grace, HTC, SK Hynix, Instrumentarium, Intromedic, Invisage, Invision biometrics, Invendo Medical, Invensense, ImageWorksIMEC, IMS-Chips, IO Industries, ISDI, JAI, Jinshan Group, JSR, JVC/Altasens, Konica Minolta, Kostal, KunShan RuiXin Micro, KYEC, Lfoundry, LG, Lytro, Mantis Vision, Magna, Magneti Marelli, Medigus, Melexis, MESA Imaging, Micron, Microsoft, Mobotix, Morita, New Imaging Technologies, Novatek, Odos Imaging, Omnivision, Omron, ON Semi, Optex, Owandy, Oy Ajat, Panavision Imaging, Panasonic, Pelican Imaging, PerkinElmer, Philips, Pixart, PixelPlus, Pixim, Pelco, PMD Technologies, Point Grey research, Powerchip, Pyxalis, Rad-icon, Raytrix, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Samsung, Sarnoff, SETi, Sharp, Shick/Sirona, SiliconFile, Soft Kinetic, SK Hynix, SMIC, SOITEC, Sony, SRI International, STMicro, SuperPix, Teledyne DALSA, Tessera, Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, The Imaging source, Tong Hsing, TOK, Toray, Toshiba, Trixell/Thales, TSMC, Toshiba Teli, TowerJazz, Tridicam, TRW, TU Delph, TYZX, UMC, University of Edinburg, Valeo, Vanguard, Vatech Humanray, VisEra, Vista Point, Viti, Viimagic, Vision research, Vivitar, Vivotek, WLCSP, X-counter, X-Fab, XinTec, Ziptronix and more …