Dongbu HiTek today announced that it has begun volume production of 5.0 Megapixel (5M) CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) devices for Superpix Micro Technology Co., Ltd., an innovative fabless customer based in Beijing.
Armed with patented SuperPix® pixel signal processing and SuperImage® image processing techniques, Superpix anticipates strong demand for its 5M CIS devices in China’s rapidly expanding mid-range to low-end smart phone market segments.
According to Maybank, the Chinese smart phone market in the mid-range to low-end segment is forecast to grow from some 216 million units shipped this year to about 400 million units in 2015, thereby exceeding 85% growth over the two year period. In another forecast from iSuppli, smart phones that feature 5M resolution and above will substantially command this segment’s growth as they replace 2M resolution cameras, shipping 187 million units next year and 288 million units in 2015, thus representing a dramatic year-over year growth of more than 50%.
“We continue to expand our foundry relationship with Superpix, and are now on track to begin developing its 8M CIS chips early next year so that volume production can also begin next year,” said Jae Song, Dongbu HiTek EVP of marketing. He noted that his company’s foundry relationship with Superpix has progressively developed from manufacturing QVGA/VGA chips to CIS chips specifying resolutions spanning the 2M–to-8M range.
Dongbu HiTek has strongly positioned itself to serve Chinese fabless companies with offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen. The Korean specialty foundry continues to manufacture an expanding portfolio of advanced chips for its Chinese customers; this portfolio currently includes CIS devices, touch-screen controllers and power management chips.
About Dongbu HiTek
Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd. specializes in developing superb analog and mixed-signal processing technologies. The company adds high value to advanced ICs with a processing portfolio that encompasses Analog CMOS, BCDMOS, High Voltage CMOS, CMOS RF, CMOS Image Sensor (CIS), Display Driver IC (DDI), Touch Screen Controller IC and NOR Flash technologies. With its best-in-class BCDMOS technology, the company manufactures power management chips that serve numerous applications ranging from home and handheld electronics to automotive and industrial systems. Currently processing technologies at nodes ranging from 0.35 microns to 90 nanometers, the company complements its world class foundry capabilities with top quality design support, prototype verification and packaging/module development. Headquartered in Seoul, Dongbu HiTek publicly trades its stock under 000990 on the Korea Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.dongbuhitek.com.