Global Image Sensors Professional Survey Report 2022, Forecast to 2027

According to the WK Research “Global Image Sensors Professional Survey Report 2022, Forecast to 2027”, This growth is driven by an upsurge in integration of HDR cameras equipped with image sensors in mobile devices, growth in incorporation of image cameras for automotive applications, and an increase in the use of these in improved medical imaging solutions. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the 2022-2027 period is projected to be 8.14% base on WK Research regression analysis model. 

Analysts’ Viewpoint:

“The IoT industry is currently in a period of rapid development, with the increased use of cameras in artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications, and autonomous vehicles. It is expected to open up new opportunities for the growth of the image sensors market.” said Lisa, Senior analyst, Electronics & Semiconductors Market Research Center in WK Research. “With the growing demand for smartphones and other consumer electronics in Asia-Pacific regions such as China, South Korea, India and Singapore, establishing a manufacturing presence in the region can generate substantial economic income for image sensors industry players.”

Market insight：

Rising demand for multiple cameras in mobile devices:

The growth in the number of cameras in the smartphones has bolstered the image sensor market. High-resolution image sensors are being adopted by smartphone rear cameras along with different types of cameras such as standard/main camera, telephoto or periscope zoom camera, ultra-wide camera, monochrome camera, depth sensor or 3D ToF sensor, and macro camera. Addituionally, the growing adoption of smartphones on a global scale and the increasing popularity of smartphone photography has created a surge in the demand for image sensors.

Growing popularity of social media applications to drive growth:

The fast acceptance of camera modules in consumer devices such as smartphones, tablets, and digital cameras is aided by the growing popularity of social networking applications. High-quality camera lenses are being integrated into consumer gadgets. Canon provides an APS-H-size CMOS sensor with about 120 megapixels of picture resolution. It also has a maximum output speed of about 9.5 frames per second, allowing for continuous ultra-high-resolution image capture. This in turn positively impacts the market growth.

Rising applications across medical imaging:

Medical diagnostics is a rapidly growing market for image sensors. The market for medical image sensors, which is primarily driven by applications of image sensors in endoscopy and X-ray imaging, is expected to grow as the scope for imaging diagnostics in the medical industry expands. Emerging endoscopic solutions, such as capsule endoscopy and disposable endoscopes, are expected to contribute to the market's continued expansion. Endoscopy applications are increasing rapidly due to a rise in therapeutically treatable disorders such as cancer and gastrointestinal diseases, as well as a growing patient desire for less abrasive procedures.

Rising innovations and advancements in image sensors:

Image sensor innovations focus on enhancing image quality by increasing pixel density on the sensor, lowering noise, and optimising the size of the sensor platform. Image sensors will gain significant value from features such as depth sensing as they are employed in robotic surgery systems and surgical navigation and guidance systems. The multiple innovations by the ecosystem players also provide ample opportunities for the growth of image sensors.

Growing preference for LiDAR solutions by automobile manufacturers:

LiDAR systems use millions of laser pulses to measure the change in the distance and require finely tuned systems to make accurate and faster decisions than humans. These systems offer higher accuracy and precision than image sensor cameras, with some drawbacks such as high-power consumption, poor performance in difficult weather, heavyweight, and high costs. Despite these disadvantages, automobile companies still prefer LiDAR systems over image sensor camera systems. The easy availability of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) solutions for use in autonomous vehicles is restraining the growth of the image sensor market.

Reduced time-to-market of smartphones creates challenges for image sensor manufacturers:

The majority of digital cameras with image sensors are marketed in the consumer market are extremely competitive due to the constantly shortened time-to-market for new and improved versions. Because of the continuously shortening product lifecycles, product lines must be constantly improved. As a result, reducing development time is a significant challenge, given that the company that is the first to market the new or improved version can gain a significant competitive advantage.

Analyzing COVID-19 impact on image sensor market expansion:

The global outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in 2020 has had a considerable impact on the overall market expansion, majorly due to an acute shortage of semiconductor chips. The semiconductor and automotive industries have been depicting sluggish growth ever since the pandemic spread, thus generating low level sales of image sensors around the globe. However, an increase in the consumer electronics sales volume turned out to be a profitable avenue for the market expansion during 2020.

Competition Landscape:

Partnerships and acquisitions along with product launches are the key strategies adopted by the players in the Image Sensors market. This WK Research market report is designed to help clients improve their market position, and in line with this, this report provides a detailed analysis of several leading Image Sensors companies that include Sony, Samsung, OmniVision, ON Semiconductor, Panasonic, Canon, SK Hynix, STMicroelectronics, PixArt Imaging, and Pixelplus.

Segmentation of Image Sensors Market:

Based on the Technology, the market is bifurcated into Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS), Charge-Coupled Device (CCD), and Others. CMOS image sensors are popular worldwide. These sensors are mainly used in digital cameras due to their relatively low cost compared to CCD sensors. In most CMOS devices, each pixel has a different transistor that amplifies and moves the charge using more traditional wires. This technical approach is considered more flexible due to the ability to read each pixel individually. Some other key factors supporting the growth of the segment are the low power consumption capability and excellent battery life of CMOS.

Based on the Processing Type, the market is bifurcated into 2D Image Sensor and 3D Image Sensor. The existing scenario of the market showcases the major availability and utilization of 2-dimensional technology. However, emerging technologies such as machine vision, and computer vision are indicating 3D image sensors will hold major shares of image sensor market in the coming years. Time-Of-Fight (TOF) technology specifically deals with 3D depth-sensing applications. 3D image processing facilitates more precise and reliable depth sensing in various applications.

By application, the image sensor market covers consumer electronics, automotive, healthcare, surveillance & security, and others. The image sensor market is expected to benefit handsomely from the automotive industry. The image sensor market for the entire segment is expected to be dominated by sales growth of CMOS sensors. These sensors are widely embedded in cars to provide comprehensive protection and safety for drivers and passengers. The trend of upgrading ADAS is also driving the demand for image sensors in automobiles. Various sensor chip developers are coming up with advanced solutions in this field to cater to the automotive industry in terms of safety and services.

Image Sensors Market: Regional Analysis

In terms of geography, the global Image Sensors market has been segmented into: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, South America, and the Middle East and Africa. In 2022, Asia Pacific held the largest share of the overall image sensor market; it is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The market is driven by developments in image sensors by various companies based in China, Japan, South Korea, and other countries in the region. These companies replenish the growing demand for image sensors for consumer electronics, automotive, security & surveillance applications, etc. The growth of the market in Asia Pacific can be attributed to the presence of some of the major smartphone manufacturers. In addition, the growing population and the rising penetration of smartphones in countries in Asia Pacific are expected to further drive the image sensor market in the near future. Moreover, the governments of several countries in the region are taking initiatives to ensure safety in vehicles and are creating demand for image sensor for the automotive sector. 

Among the Asia Pacific countries, China is showing a significant growth rate due to its growing economy and global electronics market share. China is one of the major producers and consumers of electronic products. China has established a social credit system, and it relies heavily on facial recognition to identify its citizens. Across the country, facial recognition technology is being installed and the demand for cameras for this project is expected to drive the market.

Cagr: 8.14%

largest share area：Asia Pacific

largest share country：China

Product Type(by Technology)：Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS), Charge-Coupled Device (CCD), and Others

Product Type(by Processing Type)：2D Image Sensor and 3D Image Sensor

Application：Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Healthcare, Surveillance & Security, and Others