【3374】精材科技

OminiVision seeks CMOS image sensor capacity commitments from TSMC and PSC

Hans Wu, Taipei; Steve Shen, DIGITIMES [Thursday 16 October 2008]

CMOS image sensor vendor OmniVision reportedly has been in talks with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (PSC) for allocation of wafer production capacity in 2009 to help it further expand market share, according to market sources in Taiwan's wafer foundry industry.

Although already being the top vendor of CMOS image sensors in the notebook and handset segments, OmniVision is not being complacent and the company has been trying to grab as much as the global market share through capacity support from foundry companies in addition to continuing product innovation, the sources indicated.

OmniVision now aims to assure capacity allotment from both TSMC and PSC in 2009, at a time when more market reports are indicating that Italy-based Aptina Imaging is seeking foundry support outside Italy in order to help reduce its production costs.

Aptina is likely to approach TSMC and PSC, as they are the two Taiwan-based foundry services companies that have more production capacity and manufacturing expertise in the production of CMOS image sensors, the sources noted.

OmniVision aims to stymie Aptina's efforts to build up business relations with TSMC or PSC through its strengthened cooperation with the two companies, speculated the sources.

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Image sensor packaging house XinTec to ship 300,000 WL-CSP wafers in 2008

Claire Sung, Taipei; Steve Shen, DIGITIMES [Monday 13 October 2008]

Image sensor and MEMS-chip packaging house XinTec is expected to ship 300,000 wafer-level chip-scale packaging (WL-CSP) wafers in 2008, with shipments to gain more momentum in 2009, according to estimates by market sources.

However, XinTec posted a net loss of NT$69 million (US$2.12 million) in the first half of 2008, based on shipments of 140,000 WL-SCP wafers that generated revenues of NT$1.3 billion, said company sources.

With continuing support from its major shareholders, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and color filer maker VisEra Technologies as well as its largest customer OmniVision Technologies, XinTec will see its shipments continue to grow in the coming year.