According to the report “TrendForce 2026 Infrared Sensing Application Market and Branding Strategies,” driven by brands’ strategic planning, five key themes are projected to unfold steadily between 2026 and 2030: 1) consumer electronics, including under-display 3D sensing, under-display proximity sensors, and bio-sensing; 2) smart cockpit / ADAS- driver / occupant monitoring systems (DMS/OMS); 3) automotive automation- autonomous driving; 4) industrial automation and humanoid robots; and 5) optical communication. Various factors are helping to expand the market scale of infrared sensing applications. Based on consumer electronics, DMS/OMS, automotive and industrial automation applications such as LiDAR, TrendForce forecasts that the IR LED, VCSEL, and EEL market scale for infrared sensing applications will climb to USD 2.214 billion by 2030.

Topic One: Consumer Electronics
Under-Display 3D Sensing: Apple is expected to adopt Dual-Junction VCSELs, and introduce under-display 3D sensing in the 2026 model of iPhone Pro using mature processes. Moreover, brands like Apple and Meta are planning to launch AR glasses between 2028 and 2030, leveraging 3D sensing to enable real-time interaction between virtual and real environments, thereby opening up significant business opportunities.

Under-Display Proximity Sensors: By adopting LTPO panels and adjusting timings to avoid the refresh rate of OLED screens (144Hz), smartphone brands can reduce white spot artifacts. This factor also led Apple to cancel the development of its 1,130nm SWIR VCSEL under-display proximity sensor. Meanwhile, in order to improve screen-to-body ratio, the 2026 iPhone Pro will not only use under-display 3D sensing but may also place 1D/2D ToF sensors under the screen. Other brands mostly use 940nm VCSEL under-display proximity sensors, such as Samsung, OPPO, vivo, Transsion, Xiaomi, ZTE, Huawei, Honor, and Motorola.

Bio-Sensing: Apple Watch Series 11 have been incorporated with the new feature of blood pressure detection in 2025 through improvement of algorithms under the existing hardware, while AirPods Pro 3 is now included with skin-detect sensor and heart rate monitoring. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, under optimization on software and hardware, are maintaining the bio-sensing features from previous generations. For the long term, next-gen bio-sensing features, including body hydration, blood lipids, and blood alcohol concentration (BAC), could potentially be incorporated into smart watches of Apple and Samsung in between 2029 and 2030.

Eye Tracking: The advantages of eye tracking include intuitive visual experience, eye-triggered interactive interfaces, automatic interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment, identity verification, and mobile payment are also expected to be integrated with Micro LED displays in AR glasses. Brands such as Apple, Meta, Samsung, Amazon, and Google are likely to adopt these technologies.

Topic Two: Smart Cockpit / ADAS- Driver / Occupant Monitoring Systems (DMS/OMS)
The EU General Safety Regulation stipulates that new passenger cars, trucks, and buses must be equipped with ADDW systems starting from July 7, 2026. Additionally, ADAS / autonomous driving Level 2 and above must be installed in high-end vehicles along with driver monitoring systems to prevent misuse that could lead to accidents and disputes. Carmakers’ response to the policy has indeed driven the demand for driver/occupant monitoring systems in the market. However, due to the intense competition in the automotive market, the price pressure in the IR LED market has not eased.

Topic Three: Automotive Automation – Autonomous Driving
Automakers, facing market competition, are actively marketing high value-added products engineered with advanced technologies, such as ADB headlights, and full-width / Mini LED taillights. They have also been applying LiDAR to ADAS / autonomous driving Level 3 (e.g., Highway Pilot), aiming to enhance driving safety and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) performance. Leading players include Volvo, General Motors, Audi, Volkswagen, BMW, Hyundai, Hongqi, Changan, Li Auto, AITO, NIO, Toyota, and Nissan. Automotive LiDAR is also applied in autonomous buses, robo-taxis, and autonomous trucks with autonomous driving Level 4-5 mainly for shuttling and point-to-point transportation. This helps address labor shortages and save personnel and transportation costs.

Topic Four: Industrial Automation and Humanoid Robots
Industrial LiDAR is applied in robots, industrial manufacturing processes, logistics, and safety protection. With the rapid growth of the e-commerce industry, distribution and transportation within factories have increased, while consumer demand for fast and convenient delivery services continues to rise. This has made speed a crucial factor in determining success for logistics companies in e-commerce, while also making last-mile delivery more challenging. E-commerce and logistics companies, aiming to reduce last-mile delivery costs and improve efficiency, are increasingly demanding more delivery robots.
The year 2026 will therefore mark a new phase in the robotics industry, characterized by humanoid robots that are driven by AI and focused on practical applications. Humanoid robots rely on various sensors to interact with their surrounding environment. The specific sensors vary according to design requirements. These sensors can be aligned with the simulation of human sensory functions.

Topic Five: Optical Communications
In response to the rise of generative AI, data centers are facing a significant increase in transmission rate demands. According to TrendForce, data transmission rates of ≤400 Gbps have already been widely adopted in the data centers of Cloud Service Providers (CSPs). Meanwhile, 800 Gbps and 1.6 Tbps will be the main drivers of market demand growth from 2025 onwards and continue into 2026. NVIDIA’s goals for SiPh CPO products include: 1. Low cost (< USD 0.1 / Gbps); 2. Low power consumption (< 1.5 pJ/bit); Long distance (> 1 km); Small form factor (>0.5 Tbps/mm2); High reliability (< 10 FIT). Among these, Micro LED CPO is expected to align with SiPh CPO goals in terms of low cost, low power consumption, small form factor, and high reliability.

The “TrendForce 2026 Infrared Sensing Application Market and Branding Strategies” report focuses on five high-growth application markets: 1) consumer electronics; 2) smart cockpit/ADAS-driver/occupant monitoring systems (DMS/OMS); 3) automotive automation- autonomous driving; 4) industrial automation and humanoid robots; and 5) optical communication, including market trends, product development trends, supply chain, and the price survey for infrared products (EML, CW LD, and InGaAs Photodiodes) and Micro LED optical interconnects modules.

TrendForce analyzes the market scale, opportunities and challenges, and product specifications and pricing for infrared sensing applications. These analyses are based on brand manufacturers’ strategies and the latest developments across supply chains. The report aims to provide readers with a comprehensive insight into business and marketing strategies in the infrared sensing application market.

Author: Joanne Wu, TrendForce

TrendForce 2026 Infrared Sensing Application Market and Branding Strategies
Release: 01 January 2026
Format: PDF / EXCEL
Language: Traditional Chinese / English
Page: 168

Chapter I. Infrared Sensing Market Scale Analysis

• 2026 Infrared Sensing Application Market- Product Analysis Overview
• 2026-2030 Infrared Sensing Market Scale Analysis- IR LED / VCSEL / EEL
• 2023-2025(E) Infrared Sensing Player Revenue- IR LED / VCSEL / EEL
• 2026-2030 Consumer Electronics 3D Sensing- Module vs. VCSEL
• 2026-2030 Consumer Electronics 3D Sensing- VCSEL vs. VCSEL Chip
• 2026-2030 Automotive / Industrial LiDAR Market- LiDAR vs. LiDAR Laser
• 2026-2030 IR LED Market Scale Analysis- Security Surveillance

Chapter II. Consumer Electronics

• Consumer Electronics- Infrared Sensing Technology Overview
• 2024-2030 Consumer Electronics Brand Strategy Roadmap

2.1 3D Sensing

• 3D Sensing Technology Overview
• Time of Flight Technology Analysis
• iPhone 17 Structured Light- Product, Cost, and Supply Chain
• iPhone 17 Pro LiDAR Scanner- Product, Cost, and Supply Chain
• iPhone Pro (2026)- Under-Display 3D Sensing Specification Estimates
• Consumer Electronics 3D Sensing Market Opportunities
• 2022-2025 3D Sensing Product Specification and Supply Chain
• 2026-2030 Module Market Scale- Consumer Electronics 3D Sensing
• 2026-2030 VCSEL Market Scale- Consumer Electronics 3D Sensing
• 2026-2030 VCSEL Chip Market Scale- Consumer Electronics 3D Sensing
• VCSEL Technology Roadmap
• 3D Sensing Application Innovation Drives VCSEL / EEL Technologies
• 2018-2030 VCSEL Chip Price Trend

2.2 Proximity Sensor

• 2026(E) Proximity Sensor Specifications and Price Trend Analysis
• 2026-2030 Proximity Sensor Market Scale Analysis

2.3 Bio-Sensing

• Physiological Parameter Measurement and Disease Analysis
• Heart Rate vs. Blood Oxygen- Optical Sensing Principle
• Blood Pressure vs. Body Hydration- Optical Sensing Principle
• Bio-Sensing Measurement Location Overview
• Apple Watch Series 11- PPG Product, Cost, and Supply Chain
• Apple AirPods Pro 3- Skin-Detect Sensor Product, Cost, and Supply Chain
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8- PPG Product, Cost, and Supply Chain
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro- Skin-Detect Sensor Product, Cost, Supply Chain
• Smart Ring Bio-Sensing Trend
• Bio-Sensing System Market Landscape
• 2026-2030 Bio-Sensing Market Scale Analysis- Module
• 2026-2030 Bio-Sensing Market Scale Analysis- Discrete LED
• Bio-Sensing Market Potential
• Short Wave Infrared (SWIR)
• SWIR LED Specification Analysis
• 2022-2025 SWIR LED / InGaAs Photodiode Price Analysis

2.4 NB Facial Recognition

• 2.5D Face ID Advantages
• NB (2.5D) Facial Recognition- IR LED Specification and Supply Chain
• Will NB (2.5D) Facial Recognition Come with VSCEL Technology?
• 2026-2030 IR LED Market Scale Analysis- NB (2.5D) Facial Recognition

2.5 Eye Tracking

• AR/VR/MR- Optical Sensing and Display Technologies
• Eye Tracking Advantage Analysis
• Eye Tracking Application Markets
• Eye Tracking Brands and Product Specifications
• AR/VR/MR Industry- Capital Investment, M&A, Strategic Alliance, Supply Chain Cooperation
• Eye Tracking Technology Evolution and Brand Patent Strategies
• 2026-2030 AR/VR/MR Market Shipment Analysis
• 2026-2030 IR LED Market Scale Analysis- Eye Tracking

Chapter III. Driver / Occupant Monitoring System

• Key Factor Analysis
• Smart Cockpit- From Today to the Future
• Active / Passive Sensing Analysis
• Driver Monitoring System- Regulations and Policies
• Driver / Occupant Monitoring System- Feature Analysis
• Driver / Occupant Monitoring System- 2.5D Specification Analysis
• Driver / Occupant Monitoring System- 3D Sensing Specification Analysis
• Driver / Occupant Monitoring System- Sensor Fusion Analysis
• OEM Strategies and Supply Chain
• 2026-2030 DMS/OMS- Car Shipment vs. Penetration Rate
• 2026-2030 IR LED / VCSEL Market Scale Analysis- DMS/OMS
• IR LED / VCSEL Demand Market vs. Player Revenue Analysis- DMS/OMS
• IR LED Product Specification Analysis- ams OSRAM
• VCSEL Product Specification Analysis- ams OSRAM
• IR LED / VCSEL Product Specification Analysis- Stanley
• Driver / Occupant Monitoring System Market Landscape Analysis

Chapter IV. Automotive / Industrial Automation

• Definitions of LiDAR Application Markets
• 2026-2030 Automotive / Industrial LiDAR Market Scale Analysis
• LiDAR Imaging Technology Overview
• LiDAR Product Specification and Price Analysis
• LiDAR Market Landscape Analysis

4.1 Automotive Automation

• ADAS / Autonomous Driving- OEM’s Strategic Alliance Analysis
• 2021-2026 ADAS / Autonomous Driving Roadmap and Supply Chain
• Autonomous Driving Level 4-5 Market Landscape Analysis
• Automotive Sensing Analysis- LiDAR, Radar and Camera
• LiDAR Product Requirement- Driving Scenario Analysis

4.2 Industrial Automation

• Industrial LiDAR Application Market
• 2026 Humanoid Robot Market Outlook
• Humanoid Robot - Infrared Sensing Solution
• Delivery LiDAR
• Home Appliance LiDAR (Robot Vacuums / Companion Robots)

4.3 LiDAR Laser and Photodetector

• 2026-2030 LiDAR Laser Market Scale- Application Analysis
• 2026-2030 LiDAR Laser Market Scale- Product Analysis
• 2026-2030 LiDAR Photodetector Market Scale- Product Analysis
• LiDAR Laser- EEL / VCSEL Comprehensive Analysis
• Automotive LiDAR Laser (EEL) Analysis
• Automotive LiDAR Laser (VCSEL) Analysis
• Industrial LiDAR Laser Analysis
• LiDAR Laser Player- Major Customer List
• LiDAR Photodetector Analysis
• LiDAR Laser / Photodetector Player List

Chapter V. Optical Communications Product Trend and Supply Chain Analysis

• Data Center Upgrades Stimulate Optical Communications Market Demand
• 2025-2026 Optical Communications Market Development
• CSP’s Data Center Roadmap- NVIDIA, Google, Amazon
• CSP’s Data Center Roadmap- Microsoft, Meta, Oracle
• 800Gbps vs. 1.6Tbps Transceiver Product Trend
• Transceiver vs. SiPh CPO
• SiPh CPO Technology Challenges Analysis
• Optical Communications- Transceiver vs. SiPh CPO vs. Micro LED CPO
• Optical Communications- Micro LED / VCSEL / CW LD (SiPh CPO) / EML
• Micro LED Optical Interconnects Opportunities and Challenges
• 2025 EML, CW LD, and InGaAs Photodiode Price Survey
• Optical Communications Market Landscape Analysis

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