Apple's profit of about 90% of the global mobile phone market means: "The end of an era and the beginning of a new era." The era of simple sales volume has come to an end, opening up a new era led by product power. Mobile phone companies that once sold on a large scale began to struggle. These changes led to the need for camera module companies to rapidly change, from the original running, low-cost model to R & D technology, automation equipment, process capability to hit the market of this increasingly large camera turnover. Camera module companies without high product capabilities and comprehensive system capabilities will find it difficult to survive in this market. Recently, the reporter interviewed a number of mobile phone camera module manufacturers CEO, many corporate executives have confided to the first mobile phone industry.
In the new era, how should companies respond? How to survive? Four Seasons Spring Chairman Yang Huimin believes that the mobile phone market has been changing, the original Samsung mobile phone profits are crazy, last year until now, Apple's profits accounted for about 90%, today Huawei, OPPO, VIVO and other high quality domestic mobile phone brand's rise will break the original Some patterns. "Mobile phone manufacturers are also pursuing changes, and the camera market is the same." Yang Huimin said that only by continuously introducing new high-add-on value-added camera products, can keep up with the times to cope with the new round of market competition.
With the maturity of integrated technologies, PDAF will become the next generation of camera modules the most mainstream product, and high-end back-end EOL automation equipment will become the company's next round of core competitiveness.
PDAF or mainstream
Last year, there were no energy-producing PDAF companies on the market. This year, major camera sensor manufacturers have introduced PDAF sensors such as Samsung, Sony, and OV. The first mobile phone industry reporter learned that some domestic module manufacturers such as Xinli, Four Seasons Spring, etc. have also mass-produced PDAF cameras.
PDAF, OIS, dual cameras, 3D and 20 million and above high pixels have become the main selling points of mobile phones, and PDAF phase focus detection has become a top priority. This phase-detection focus mode allows the focus speed to be very fast and instantly captures stunning photos.
However, the PDAF camera still has a lot of difficulties in the manufacturing process. The general module factory will still encounter a lot of production yield, automation of the back-end equipment and new process capabilities and other issues.
“At present, Four Seasons Spring has overcome multiple difficulties, and successfully produced and exported the PDAF fast-focus camera and passed the MTK certification.” Yang Huimin emphasized that Four Seasons Spring is a follower of high-tech products, and has a number of chips, motors and lenses for technological innovation. The manufacturers all maintain the closest cooperation.
In addition, aiming at OIS, Cloose-loop, dual camera, 3D, iris and other products on the current market, Yang Huimin admitted that there are already relevant technical reserves in the four seasons of spring, but these market launches are not yet as fast, and PDAF will be in the second half of the year. It has been rapidly promoted. Four Seasons Spring has prepared several sets of very cost-effective solutions for customers to use.
Launching high-end back-end automation equipment
In addition to the competition of new PADF products, high-end back-end automation equipment is now becoming a new competition point for camera module companies.
The main reason is that mobile phones now have higher and higher requirements for image quality and process technology. If the camera module is assembled by hand, it is difficult to grasp the overall consistency of focusing, assembly, burning OTP and motor solder, resulting in poor consistency and good The rate is not high. He gave an example. Now many manufacturers can't do FAPF well, and the yield is very low. In fact, it is not related to the production of fully automated equipment in the back end, and the original COB process capability can not be solved.
In the first half of this year, some camera module companies, such as Four Seasons Spring, have launched high-end automation equipment, including automatic focusing and automatic OTP recording.
The reporter learned that Four Seasons Spring pays special attention to the automated production of the back end. In the latest AA equipment investment, the Four Seasons Spring Taiwan R&D engineering team (formerly American Flextronics, DOC) is the earliest team playing AA process in Taiwan and mainland China. Cooperated with the world's top AA equipment manufacturers, and developed a six-axis AA full-process process suitable for Sijichun's own production process. It is reported that the current five AA production lines of Four Seasons Spring have been able to cope with the production needs of more than 16 million high-pixel products or high-precision products such as OIS and dual cameras.
Sun Yanqi, dean of the First Mobile Phone Research Institute, said frankly that domestic camera module companies can only innovate and improve their efficiency and product strength, and they can even distance themselves with international first-line module manufacturers, even surpassing module brands such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
However, Yang Huimin has different views on the COB production lines that are currently keen on the market. He believes that the current COB production line is too much a cost burden, many COB production capacity has been idle, for high products, COB process is just the basic basic skills and SMT patch, does not mean that high product power, high product power It is important to grasp its back-end production process and process. It is understood that “the Four Seasons Spring has accumulated enough on the COB production line. At present, the production through rate of the Four Seasons Spring 13M can reach 98%, and it is impacting 99%.”