The average camera per smartphone is decreasing

According to the latest Counterpoint Smartphone Camera Tracker, the average number of cameras per smartphone decreased from 3.9 units in the second half of 2022 to 3.8 units in H1 2023.

This was due to a shift in preference for dual- and triple-camera setups in rear cameras at the expense of configurations with four or more cameras. It was particularly driven by Chinese Android OEMs who have actively opted to reduce the number of cameras either to cut costs or save space.

Meanwhile, this shift is happening on the backdrop of a global smartphone CMOS image sensor (CIS) shipments decline in H1 2023.

During this period, shipments declined 14% YoY to 2 billion units driven by reduced market demand, a further decrease in the number of cameras per smartphone, and adjustments in channel inventory.

Looking at vendor market performance, Sony emerged as the only supplier to achieve year-on-year growth in CIS shipments, primarily driven by the strong sales performance of Apple's iPhones, which demonstrated resilience in a challenging market environment. In contrast, both Samsung and OmniVision experienced year-on-year declines due to weakened sales and adjustments in channel inventory within the Android segment.

Looking ahead to H2 2023, the market recovery is anticipated to be relatively subdued compared to the first half of the year due to prevailing macroeconomic headwinds. Global shipments of smartphone CIS are projected to decrease by 10% year-on-year in 2023, amounting to 4.2 billion units.