Across The Border | Eyes for AI? China’s computer vision tech firms have the answer
Chinese smartphone camera makers’ strong first-half performance not only reflects consumers’ changing picture snapping behaviour, but also the rapid development and demand in AI technology
Strong interim results posted by Chinese smartphone camera makers may have proven yet again the future of camera manufacturing lies with lenses that are minuscule and A.I.-savvy.
The landscape of the camera making industry has fundamentally changed as consumers are shelving their professional cameras and using smartphones to take pictures in recent years.
Now as computer vision technology, which uses deep learning scheme to enable machines to understand digital images and videos, matures , smartphone camera makers, many of which are leading the pack in computer vision software development, could displace traditional camera makers’ dominance in their own backyard.
Companies such as Q Technology, Sunny Optical exemplified the rapid growth of smartphone camera makers in China. Both companies have posted strong first-half results this year, as traditional camera makers such as Canon see a decline in unit sales in digital compact cameras.
According to investment bank Jefferies, Canon’s sales this year is expected to nearly halve to 3.5 million units from 6.56 million units in 2015.
Camera module maker Q Technology, which supplies components for smartphone manufacturers such as Huawei and Oppo, reported that its profit for the first half of the year soared 145 per cent to 201.78 million yuan (US$30.71 million), driven by higher average selling prices and growth in shipment volumes.
Q Technology said it had developed mid-to-high end camera modules of 13 mega pixels and above, which saw 249.1 per cent year on year growth in sales volume during the period.
Company chairman He Ningning said the firm now identified itself as an intelligent vision company because the emergence of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, coupled with machine learning technology, were presenting many new business opportunities.