Due to COVID-19, the Image Sensor Market Shrinks for the First Time in 10 Years

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] The global sales of CMOS image sensors (CIS), which had experienced rapid growth due to the widespread use of smartphone cameras, are expected to decline this year for the first time in 10 years due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). However, it is anticipated that sales will recover next year and reach an all-time high again.

According to market intelligence firm IC Insights on the 13th, global CIS sales this year are predicted to decrease by about 3.3% to $17.8 billion from $18.4 billion last year.

CIS is a type of semiconductor that converts light entering through a lens into digital signals to display images. Thanks to the proliferation of camera phones, CIS sales surged about fourfold from 2010 to 2019. It was the fastest-growing semiconductor product over the past decade.

However, this year, due to the impact of COVID-19 causing a significant drop in smartphone sales, the growth rate of CIS is expected to slow down.

Nonetheless, CIS sales are expected to recover next year. IC Insights forecasted that market demand will rebound from the second half of this year, leading to a 15% increase in CIS sales next year to $20.4 billion, setting a new record high.

Recently, demand for cameras has been increasing not only for smartphone cameras but also for automotive cameras, medical devices, and wearable devices, suggesting that CIS sales could continue to grow steadily.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.