Business
2023’s Apple iPhones might not use Samsung’s folded zoom cameras: Report
South Korean media outlet and reliable publication for Samsung news, TheElec, recently published a new report that shows Samsung Electro-Mechanics will be excluded from Apple’s supply chain of “folding” zoom camera modules for 2023’s iPhones.
It’s reported that folding zoom technology is a telephoto camera similar to a periscope which makes the camera module thinner so that it does not bulge on the back cover of the smartphone. Samsung had used the folding zoom tech on the Galaxy S20 Ultra for the first time.
Previously, it’s said that the US tech giant is planning to apply the technology to the iPhone launched in 2023, but patent issues hindered its development. Samsung Electronics obtained the patents required for the technology through the acquisition of Israel’s Corephotonix in 2019.
As part of Samsung’s supply chain, Samsung Electro-Mechanics and South Korea’s Jahwa Electronics also have patents related to the actuators used in the folding zoom lens barrel. The former uses a ball-shaped guide actuator to move the lens barrel, which is considered to be more advanced than the spring actuator.
In addition, folding zoom can accommodate more lenses and larger image sensors, which require precise control of them, and the ball-guided method is more advantageous in this regard.
Meanwhile, Apple is rumored to obtain the supply of foldable zoom modules from its long-term supplier LG Innotek and to purchase ball guide actuators from Samsung Electromechanical Company. If Apple chooses this route, it will replace its actuator partners Alps Electric and Mitsui Electric with Samsung Electro-Mechanics.
Furthermore, Apple reviewed Jahwa Electronics’ optical image stabilization module factory in the first half of this year. This integrated module is Jahwa’s main product, and it is combined with the image sensor and circuit board to complete a camera module.
Join SammyFans on Telegram
Although Jahwa co-developed OIS technology with Samsung and Samsung Electro-Mechanics that raised concerns that it might not be able to supply. On the other hand, Apple may have its own patented solutions, or it will pay Samsung a license fee.
If Apple wants to adopt folding zoom for the iPhone in 2023, it needs to finalize specifications and suppliers within this year. LG InnoTek is currently developing its own folding zoom technology.
LG InnoTek and Corephotonix are involved in patent infringement lawsuits, but the former has successfully invalidated the latter’s telephoto lens patent through the local patent committee in South Korea in July. Last month, LG InnoTek also won a lawsuit in the local patent court.
Samsung remained the king in the Q2 2024 market, but Apple and Xiaomi are getting closer. IDC market research data shows that Samsung led the worldwide smartphone market in the second quarter of the year and Chinese brands scored rapid growth.
According to IDC, Samsung sold 53.9 million devices in the second quarter. The company occupied an 18.9% market share internationally. The company has slightly improved its sales share up from 53.5 million units in the same period last year.
The data suggests that Apple ranked second in terms of global volume sales. The iPhone maker shipped 45.2 million devices in Q2, 2024. It captured a market share of 15.8%, a modest increase from 44.5 million shipments in the second quarter of last year.
Third comes Xiaomi. The Chinese brand saw massive growth in sales year over year. It had sold 42.3 million smartphones in the second quarter alone. It’s a big jump from 33.2 million units shipped in Q2 2023, becoming a potential threat to Apple and Samsung.
Apart from this, Vivo also recorded significant growth in the global market. The company’s year-over-year growth in Q2 was 21.9%, with sales listing 25.9 million units with a market share of 9.1%. The growth percentage shows that aggressive marketing and boasting competitive specs into devices is paying off.
Samsung, Apple’s game isn’t over…
Last week, Samsung launched its new foldable phones, releasing on July 24, 2024. Apple, on the other hand, is expected to launch new flagship iPhones in September. It means, Samsung will enjoy the third quarter as well. The fourth quarter might be of Apple as iPhone sales would sharply grow in the global market given the new lineup release.
Samsung is now preparing to unveil new FE products later this year, followed by the S25 series in early next year. Chinese brands are expected to debut their latest flagships in the last quarter of this year, while Google Pixel phones are also coming in August.
Samsung today announced provisional sales and profit results for the second quarter. Samsung formally announced the provisional/predicted sales and operating profit, suggesting a massive profit boom in Q2, 2024 given the AI memory semiconductor rise.
In Q2, 2024, Samsung sales provisionally increased by 2.89% and operating profit by 57.34% compared to the previous quarter thanks to AI boom. Besides, the sales climbed by 23.31% and operating profit by 1,452.24% compared to the same period last year.
The company expects sales of 74 trillion won and operating profit of 10.4 trillion won on a consolidated basis. While these results are not final, there won’t be much change in the final result when it comes out. Samsung had a pretty profitable period in the second quarter.
Samsung in Q2
- Consolidated Sales: Approximately 74 trillion Korean won
- Consolidated Operating Profit: Approximately 10.4 trillion Korean won
The Korean tech giant is currently facing yield issues in its second-generation 3nm process. The flagship Exynos processor is unlikely to be commercialized this year. It would lead the Mobile business to face additional burdens due to rising prices of Snapdragon chipsets.
Meanwhile, Samsung is focussing on HBM (high bandwidth memory) semiconductors. HBM is a key player in artificial intelligence servers and data centers. The booming AI market will directly benefit Samsung’s semiconductor business.
Samsung ranked first in market share in the global smartphone market in Q3, 2023. TrendForce report says that Samsung led the global Q3 smartphone market, recording a market share of 19.5%.
Overall production in the third quarter increased by 11.5% compared to the previous quarter to 60.1 million units. During the same period, Apple’s production increased by 17.9% to 49.5 million, thanks to iPhone 15.
Follow our socials → Google News | Telegram | X/Twitter | Facebook | WhatsApp
Third place was taken by Xiaomi (13.9%), followed by Oppo (12.6%) and Transion (8.6%). 6th place is Vivo (8%). Meanwhile, global smartphone production reached 308 million units, a 13% increase compared to the previous quarter and a 6.4% increase from the previous year.
Huawei’s re-entry into the flagship smartphone market targeting Apple has had a significant impact in China. Huawei is aiming to expand its high-end flagship series, focusing on the Chinese domestic market next year, so Apple “We plan to attack directly”.
// Source