- 24 October 2005 -

CMOS overtakes CCD and CIS

CMOS image sensor shipments surpassed Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs), reports In-Stat (http://www.in-stat.com). This shift was the result of the exploding camera phone market, with shipments more than doubling from 2003 to 2004.

"Camera phones have been the largest single application for image sensors since 2003," says Brian O'Rourke, In-Stat analyst. "And what was once a high-end product for the Japanese market has become a worldwide phenomenon."

The report found:
• While CMOS has surpassed CCDs, CCDs are not going away. They maintain substantial market share in many camera applications, including mainstream digital still cameras, security cameras, and camcorders.
• CMOS sensors are having success in other camera markets as well, including low-end digital still cameras and Web cameras.
• Even with its increasing market share, CMOS revenues will be less than CCD revenues through 2005, due to high CCD volumes and ASPs in markets such as digital still cameras and security cameras.

The report, "Image Sensors 2005: Camera Phones Drive CMOS Past CCDs in 2004" covers the market for image sensors, and provides annual forecast numbers through 2009.

CCD, CMOS and CIS market shares for each application, in both units and revenues, are provided annually for the forecast period. Profiles of the world's leading image sensor suppliers are also presented.