Sony Strategy

Sony held a corporate strategy meeting FY19 and set the directions for its CIS business:

• In imaging, Sony was able to deliver a stable supply of high value-added product to a market that is evolving not only toward higher resolution, but also toward multiple sensors per camera and larger sized sensors, while, at the same time, maintaining its number one market share position in CMOS sensors on a revenue basis.
• Achieved steady development in the automotive and sensing parts of the business.
• We expect to leverage the superior technology Sony has developed in this business to maintain our industry-leading position going forward.
• Approximately 80% of CMOS sensor sales are to smartphones. Although this market has matured, demand for sensors continues to grow due to adoption of multiple sensors and larger sized sensors in smartphones. Demand for Time-of-Flight sensors in smartphones is also expected to increase.
• Although investment in greater production capacity over the next few years is necessary, CMOS sensor production capacity does not become obsolete, resulting in high return on investment in the long term.
• Initiatives in long-term growth prospects such as automotive sensors and Edge AI.
• Expand business through fields such as distance measurement and automotive. Sony's automotive sensors are receiving positive external feedback.
• Stacked CMOS image sensors to be made more intelligent by embedding AI functionality to the logic layer.
• Sony will also actively pursue alliances with partner companies. Recently announced an MOU with Microsoft to collaborate in the area of AI.

Also, Sony 2019 IR Day updates on the company's imaging business directions: