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Samsung wants to be the number one image sensor manufacturer, apparently
July 01, 2025
Not content with recently beingcrownedthe world’s top chipmaker by revenue and sellingmoresmartphones than any other company in 2017, Samsung is now apparently setting its sights on taking Sony’s spot as the top producer of image sensors. This is according toEtnews, who suggests that Samsung wants to double its production capacity of the sensors before the end of 2018.
The article suggests that in the second half of the year, Samsung will convert line 13 at its Hwasung factory from being a line that produces DRAM, into one capable of producing image sensors. Samsung began converting line 11 for the same reason last year and conversion of the new line is said to happen once that has been completed.
While line 13 is said to be able to produce around 100,000 DRAMs per month, it will only be able to produce around half the amount of image sensors.Etnewsquotes an industry source as saying that when the conversion process has been completed, line 11 and line 13 combined will be able to produce around 70,000 a month. When added to its existing monthly capacity of 45,000, Samsung will be able to produce around 120,000 a month.
Samsung has been busydevelopingits Isocell range of image sensors for use in smartphones (and also cars). The Isocell Fast 2L3 is currently being used in theGalaxy S9 and S9 Plusphones and is part of the reason that the device can record super slow motion video at 960 frames-per-second. The sensors produced by Samsung aren’t only going to be used in Samsung phones andETNewsarticle suggests that Samsung has over 10 external companies buying its sensors.
It’s perhaps unsurprising that Samsung is looking towards increasing its production of camera sensors. Someanalyststhink that the price of NAND and DRAM memory is going to drop in the near future due to increased production in China. Increasing its production of image sensors could, therefore, be a good way for the company to avoid being hit too hard by any potential losses of revenue that this would bring.
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