Weak global economics amid war and pandemic fears keeping the market dull
As per the latest Counterpoint Smartphone Camera Tracker report, Global smartphone CMOS image sensor (CIS) shipments dropped 14% YoY during H1 of 2022. Only around 2.4 billion units were shipped, hinting toward the slowdown in the multi-camera trend at the global level.
Observing the trend, Senior Analyst Ethan Qi said, “The average number of cameras per smartphone dropped to 3.9 units in Q2 2022 from 4.1 units in 2021. For rear cameras, the share of smartphones featuring a triple camera setup has been increasing since Q2 2021 at the expense of the quad and above setup, as major Chinese OEMs remove the depth camera on certain models and use existing cameras in concert with software to generate depth-related data. Additionally, we expect Samsung to remove the depth camera from its Galaxy A series next year as mid-end chipsets can use AI algorithm to produce bokeh effects. Thus, the number of cameras per smartphone will continue to decline in 2023.”
In the second half of 2022, the research expects the smartphone CIS industry shipments to move upwards from H1, though the total output of 2022 is still feared to fall 10% YoY. The factors include geopolitical upheaval, inflation and weak economic conditions, which contribute to weak demand for smartphones.
