Independent ISP market positioning analysis-image signal processor

Http://www.52rd.com/Blog/Detail_RD.Blog_superhy_73191.html

Almost two years without a blog update, the two years in a CMOS image sensor in a company to take office, responsible for image debugging, customer support work. Ran a large and small mobile phone flat plan company several home. There is more understanding and understanding of this market. Early this year, the industry a cattle man made an independent ISP out (entrepreneurship two years), pulled me to the entrepreneurial team, mainly responsible for image debugging, customer support work, project management is also essential.

I like to study product positioning, and recently had the opportunity to see "positioning" this book, the United States decades ago in the study of product positioning, put forward such a concept. Haven't updated the blog for a long time, so borrow here, simple analysis of the current independent ISP market positioning.

Currently on the market ISP to Fujitsu, Aptina,ov, Aiwei, Altek, mainly, Fujitsu higher on the route, domestic flagship machine if used Fujitsu's ISP, it is bound to particularize, can refer to the Hammer Mobile phone conference. Altek also recently surfaced,  P7 's conference, brought Taiwan's Altek to the front, using the Altek independent ISP's  P7 photo effect has not been seen. But also use the Altek ISP HTC One camera performance but dare not compliment, indoor environment white balance basically do wrong situation, also dare to focus on the camera function. Did HTC do the evaluation of the engineers did not even find this. Aptina and OV's main business is to sell CMOS sensor, this for mobile phone tablet companies have restrictions, using their ISP, can only support their CMOS sensor, so kidnapped, who would like to use them. Aiwei is a private enterprise, launched a only support to 5M ISP, is a domestic enterprise out of the first step, directly to the price of independent ISPs killed to less than 1 U.S. dollars, ultra-high cost-effective, but also won some markets.

Start with the platform and say the ISP's location.

First of all, the low-end mobile phone market, most mobile platforms have their own ISP, such as Qualcomm, Samsung, Broadcom, most of the MTK and so on. 2013, the most low-end mobile phone platform is MTK6572, three netcom eat (double 3G), dual-core, the low-end mobile platform all monopoly rhythm, spreadtrum revenue straight down, do the project of Spreadtrum platform is also not dead half-mutilated appearance. And that is the MT6572 platform, is not an integrated ISP platform, because the location of the low-end, the CIS is basically 2M pixels below, and 2M the following CIS mostly YUV output, do not need the platform to process raw data. Simply peaceful, later some plan company, want to use MT6572 platform to do some mid-end mobile phone, then need 5M CIS, and 5M YUV sensor less than the win, to OV-based OV5640 and OV5645 made a lot of market share, and well-known OV technical support, Know people can only hehe. This market basically belongs to the vacuum belt, Aptina's ISP sells more expensive than the CMOS sensor. Left some room for Aiwei's ISP. Ai for ISP plus a raw data sensor, than YUV OV5645 is also cheaper, such prices, but also good image quality, win a place is also should. Recently Broadcom released the M320 and M340 4G platform, also did not have an ISP, take the operator route, the camera positioning up to 5 m, but also to AI for the ISP and low-end ov and Aptina left some market. Fujitsu on the tall has no sense of it.

High-end mobile platform, all integrated ISP, for not the pursuit of differentiated design of mid-range mobile phones (within 2000 yuan), are using the platform integrated ISP. But to get the original, such as Qualcomm, MTK support, unless the solution company is very large to get good support, the general customer basically on their own tune, or directly default settings, the camera effect is basically flat. This market, basically no ISP company what matter.

High-end flagship machine, such as the Samsung Galaxy series, Oppo find series, Meizu MX series, HTC one series,  P series and so on, basic use of a separate ISP, Fujitsu, Altek,ov-based, the performance of the image is also the best. Customized services, excellent image quality, is a must for high-end ISPs. The price is also really expensive, but with a slightly higher sales price, or can improve the mobile phone's flagship identity. Qualcomm is said to have turned off the channel for its independent ISP, so it may not be possible to use a standalone ISP in the future using a Qualcomm platform phone.

Flatbed platform, mainly on the domestic platform manufacturers produced, such as rising micro, all Zhi, Ju Li, Ying Fang Micro, such as the use of these platforms, the price of thousands of yuan, best-selling at home and abroad (export volume is very large). These platforms in the high-end series, some have integrated the ISP, but from the customer to understand that the customer is not satisfied with the effect, so the basic shipping or YUV 5M and below the low-end CMOS sensor-based, more than 5M of the basic can be judged as software interpolation out. The market for price is also very sensitive, Fujitsu almost impossible, Aptina and ov if can reduce posture (especially lower prices, improve service), but also can achieve a lot of results, but at present, Aiwei ISP in this market has a big act.

Finally, the market for independent ISPs will gradually be replaced by ISP-integrated ISPs and how to survive. I think there are two ways, one is high-end route, higher than the platform's own ISP image quality, to win the favor of top customers, to provide high-end differentiated products. This requires long-term accumulation, image algorithm and debugging experience, are required to sharpen the long-term, to achieve a higher level, this point, the domestic manufacturers have to slowly learn to grow. Another is to take the service route, the biggest advantage of independent ISP is to support any one CMOS sensor, if you have a high level of support team, you can provide many customers with the most direct service, mobile phone flat-panel companies do not have to ask for the original support every day. A small amount of money, in exchange for efficient support, the product cycle will be shortened. It's worth the money to spend so much time on consumer electronics.