iPhone 7’s Quad-LED True Tone Feature Will Push Global Flash LED Market to $811M in 2017
September 9, 2016 | TrendForceEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
The latest 2016~2021 LED Industry Supply and Demand Database Report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, states that the introduction of Quad-LED True Tone flash on iPhone 7 and 7 Plus is expected to spur non-Apple branded smartphone vendors to make similar upgrades to camera flashes on their devices. Also, Quad-LED True Tone, which uses more flash LEDs than ever before, will help generate a new wave of demand in the global flash LED market. According to LEDinside, the value of the flash LED market worldwide is projected to grow from US$744 million in 2016 to $811 million in 2017, representing an annual growth of 9%.
Dual color LED camera flashes now come standard with high-end smartphones since Apple offered this feature on its iPhone in 2013. With the iPhone 7 series carrying camera flash module containing 4 flash LEDs, the usage volume of flash LEDs is anticipated to multiply again. Since Quad-LED True Tone flash can offer greater level of brightness and better at color rendering, iPhone 7 users are able to shoot excellent quality photos in dark environments. Other smartphone brands are expected to soon follow Apple’s lead and adopt this flash design to enhance the color rendering ability of their cameras.
However, the market for flash LEDs have high entry barriers, especially regarding optical design. Flash LEDs must be able to achieve high level of brightness on the center of the photographed object. At the same time, they must also produce illuminance uniformity that extends to the edges and high color rendering index. Additionally, there is pressure to shrink the sizes of flash LEDs due to the continuing demand for thinner and lighter smartphones. Maintaining luminous intensity is thus another design challenge for flash LED suppliers.
LEDinside’s analysis finds that there is a limited number of LED suppliers that can participate in the flash LED supply chain. Apple contracted Lumileds as the primary flash LED supplier in the past. In the case of the iPhone 7 series, however, Apple has also included a Japanese supplier to ensure that there is a steady supply of flash LEDs that meet specifications of the Quad-LED True Tone flash. Other Asian suppliers that are currently competing in the flash LED market include Taiwan’s Everlight and Lite-On Technology, China’s APT Electronics and Jufei Optoelectroncis, and South Korea’s Samsung LED. They are closely following the product development plans of major smartphone brands. When one or more vendors in the non-Apple camp decide to adopt quad-LED camera flash, the demand for flash LEDs will take off and their ASP will also start rising.
Suggested Items
Commercial Demand Continues to Be the Main Driver of Personal Computing Device Shipments into the GCC Region
03/26/2024 | IDCThe Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) personal computing device (PCD) market, which is made up of desktops, notebooks, and workstations, declined 4.0% year on year in 2023, with high inventory levels and reduced consumer spending the primary causes.
Suppliers Aim to Raise Contract Prices, But With Uncertain Demand, 2Q24 DRAM Price Increase Expected to Narrow to 3–8%
03/26/2024 | TrendForceTrendForce’s latest report reveals that despite DRAM suppliers’ efforts to trim inventories, they have yet to reach healthy ranges. As they continue to improve their lose situations by boosting capacity utilization rates, the overall demand outlook for this year remains tepid.
LPKF Reports Strategic Successes and Narrowly Achieves Forecast for 2023 Financial Year
03/26/2024 | LPKFLPKF Laser & Electronics SE generated revenue of EUR 124.3 million in the financial year (previous year: EUR 123.7 million) and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of EUR 3.7 million (previous year: EUR 6.8 million), putting the EBIT margin at 3.0% (previous year: 5.5%).
Arlon EMD and EMC Announce Expansion in California
03/25/2024 | Arlon EMDArlon EMD, a division of Elite Materials Company (EMC), announces a factory expansion at the Rancho Cucamonga, CA location. Arlon is a global leader in high performance thermoset substrates for mission critical printed circuit boards manufactured for high endurance and long-life programs. Arlon has a 45-year history of manufacturing specialty materials for the Aerospace, Industrial and Military (AIM) markets.
Intraratio Enhances MES + Yield / IoT Management with New Advanced Manufacturing Analytics
03/22/2024 | IntraratioIntraratio announced AICard, which harnesses the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning to empower manufacturers to make informed decisions quickly and accurately regarding product quality and manufacturing line performance and optimization.