[Exclusive] Apple is to receive smart CMOS image sensor (CIS) from Samsung Electronics as early as the fourth quarter of next year... "Sony's monopolistic supply for the sensor came to an end"

[Infostock Daily = Reporter Lee Ji-sun, Reporter Park Sang-in] Apple is expected to receive 'CMOS Image Sensor (CIS)' from Samsung Electronics as early as the fourth quarter of next year and install them in its products.

Apple's decision is interpreted as a way to diversify the supply channel of CIS.

According to the Infostock Daily on the 12th, Apple and Samsung Electronics reach an agreement that Apple will receive CIS for mobile devices from Samsung Electronics' non-memory division.

"Apple decided to procure CIS from Samsung Electronics, which has been exclusively supplied by Sony," said an official familiar with the agreement. "CIS for Apple will be manufactured at Samsung Electronics' new semiconductor manufacturing process."

Apple's decision is to reduce its CIS dependence of CIS supply on Sony, diversify its portfolio, and optimize CIS supplies.  

"Samsung Electronics' supply of CIS to Apple is evidencing that technological advancement of Samsung's non-memory sector has been significant," said Cho Ho-jin, CEO of Tachyon World. "The CIS for Apple is likely to be manufactured in the newly announced 17-nano process.".

The 17-nano process that Samsung Electronics will invest in in the future is expected to improve performance by 39%, power efficiency by 49%, and reduce area by 43% compared to the 28-nano process.

In particular, it has been confirmed that the new 17-nano process will be applied to products such as image sensors and mobile display driver ICs that mainly utilize more than 28-nano processes based on planar transistors.

Reporter Lee Ji-sun stockmk2020@gmail.com