MEMS and sensors will be integral to the internet of things (IoT).
And today a report from analyst firm IHS said that the main beneficiaries of the boost in light sensors will be Samsung, Apple and Chinese original equipment manufacturing.
By 2016, revenues fro this sector will amount to $767 million, and Samsung is the main driver of the growth. Last year Samsung accounted for 43 percent of light sensor spending in smartphones.
Apple accounts for 19 percent of the market in 2014, mostly because it currently uses customised and high performance parts.
But Chinese OEMs spending in 2014 represented 23 percent of the market, mostly on low cost components as companies vied to produce inexpensive smartphones which actually have started competing with Samsung on the smartphone front.
As far as suppliers of the sensors go, AMS shipped 744 million units in 2014 and was the top vendor with design wins from both Apple and from Samsung.
Maxim shipped 132 million light sensors last year – most of them components in Samsung flagship products
But there are some contenders on the block, including Sitronix, Elan and Everlight, said IHS.
