Image Sensors Market To Advance at CAGR of 6.2% during 2018–2023

The image sensors market stood at $15,934.8 million in 2017, and it is expected to generate more than $23,200.0 million by 2023. The market is advancing at a CAGR of 6.2% during 2018–2023 (forecast period). The growth is driven by the increasing application of image-sensing devices in biometrics, growing demand for dual-camera mobile phones, and advancements in low-power and compact image sensors based on the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The major demand for imaging solutions is generated from the automobile and medical device sectors.

The automotive industry is creating a high demand for image sensors for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), to enhance road safety. ADAS encompasses different semiconductor units that include radio detection and ranging (RADAR)- and light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-integrated cameras and sensors, to help drivers in getting images of their surroundings. ADAS also includes the lane departure warning (LDW) system to warn the driver while moving out of the lane. This increasing application of image sensors in automobiles will add to the image sensors market growth in the forecast years.

The continuous developments in the CMOS imaging design, technology, and fabrication are the current market trends. Consolidation of the circuit design is the common process of maximizing trade-offs between limiters. By employing this process, CMOS imaging technology developers are manufacturing products that are ideal for machine vision applications. Recent developments in the CMOS technology have notably improved the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels in high-speed machine vision applications, which are better than those of the charge-coupled device (CCD), in terms of cost, performance, and functionality.

The image sensors market is segmented by processing type, technology, operating spectrum, array type, application, and region. The technology segment of the industry has been categorized into CCD and CMOS, of which due to the lower power consumption and reduced system size, CMOS-based image sensing devices are preferred more than CCD-supported devices. Considering the surging demand for CMOS-enabled image sensing devices, Sony Corporation discontinued the shipment/delivery of its CCD sensors from March 2020 onward.

The image sensors market holds a high potential for growth in Asia-Pacific (APAC) due to technological advancements. Developments in optical molecular imaging are providing new capabilities, such as higher accuracy and sensitivity, which have broadened the scope of such components in the medical sector, in clinical translation and cancer research. Optical molecular imaging tools are being widely powered by CMOS image sensing devices. In the coming years, optical molecular imaging tools are expected to find numerous applications in preclinical and clinical drug trials on humans.

Due to the presence of a few developers, the market is consolidated in nature. Key players in the image sensors market are focusing primarily on product launches to gain a competitive edge in the industry. One of the leading companies in the industry, OmniVision Technologies Inc., launched an RGB-Ir image sensor — OV9738 — in 2018 for infrared (IR) and color imaging. The IR biometric capabilities of the sensor enable gesture interface and facial recognition applications.

Thus, the ongoing developments in the industry will drive the demand for image sensors in the coming years.