Wireless Camera Phone Image Sensors

Managing to avoid the pitfalls of other portions of the technology sector, the market for image sensors (semiconductor devices that convert photons to electrons for display or storage) has continued to grow in the past year, according to In-Stat/MDR. The high-tech market research firm reports that in 2001, nearly 109 million image sensors shipped, for total revenue of over $1.2 billion.

"The image sensor market continues to evolve," says Brian O'Rourke, a Senior Analyst with In-Stat/MDR.

"In the past year, the market for CMOS image sensors has continued to
grow in markets such as PC cameras, toys and dual mode
cameras and they're beginning to make headway in the digital
still camera market, a stronghold of rival CCD technology.
CMOS sensors should also capture the majority of the next
big market for image sensors: mobile phone cameras."
However, CCDs continue to retain the majority of the image
sensor market. "Where customers expect the highest image
quality, they will demand CCDs," says O'Rourke. "Their
strength in applications ranging from digital still cameras
to camcorders to scientific and medical cameras ensures that
CCDs will remain a very profitable business for the
foreseeable future."

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PIn-Stat/MDR has found that:

- In markets for linear image sensors, such as fax machines, scanners, and multifunction peripherals, CCDs have been challenged for several years by contact image sensors (CIS), a less expensive, more integrated solution. CMOS sensors are expected to begin to make an impact in linear markets in the next few years.

- CMOS unit shipments are expected to overtake CCD units
in 2004, driven by CMOS applications such as mobile
phone cameras. However, CCD revenue will continue to
exceed CMOS revenue through 2006.