Camera Phones Drive CMOS Past CCDs, Reports In-Stat

In 2004, the inevitable finally happened: Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor shipments surpassed Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs), reports In-Stat. This shift was the result of the exploding camera phone market, with shipments more than doubling from 2003 to 2004, the high-tech market research firm says.

"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."

A recent report by In-Stat found the following:
• 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.

www.in-stat.com