PixelPlus Report

WR Hambrecht published a research report on Pixelplus, dated by March 20, 2006. The report contains a lot of interesting data on Pixelplus and also image sensor market analysis.

The report stresses that Pixelplus uses 3T pixel technology, while most of other market players moved to 4T. Pixelplus adds some CCD functionality to 3T pixel (this probably means a pinned photodiode) and also enjoys better yield and cost of older process.

Pixelplus currently employs total about 86 people with 27 in R&D and 14 in marketing and sales.
Pixelplus customer list includes Pantech, Rohm, Seiko Precision and SII, Sharp, LG, Logitech, BYD, China TechFaith, DART Express, DK Semicon, Ningbo Bird, Cellon.
Its current fab partner is DongbuAnam for 0.18um process and Pixelplus is process of qualifying UMC 0.13um image sensor technology.

Some camera-phone market data, including projections for phones with 2 cameras on-board (click to expand):


Camera-phone sensor resolution and ASP trends and projections:


Market segmentation data:


Market shares chart - it's not clear if it covers whole CMOS sensor market or only camera-phone sensors. Also, the analysis time frame is not clearly stated. Here it is anyway: