Smartphones are driving up demands for flash LED. Aside from Philips Lumileds, Cree, Osram and other leading global manufacturers in the flash market, Taiwanese and Korean manufacturers are also entering the market. Samsung plans to switchits flash LED package specs from 4139 to 2016. Following various manufacturers  production launch, industry insiders estimate larger price cuts for flash LEDs in 1Q14.

For flash LEDs to emit light, it requires high currents in a very short period of time.    In smartphone applications, the size of the flash LED must also accommodate available space. Following smartphone camera specs upgrades; flash LED brightness has also increased, going from 75 lm to 500 lm. The industry believes that the main 2016 specs for flash LEDs will be extended into 2014, and overall brightness and current voltage will also continue its upward climb.

The global flash LED market is still largely led by Philips Lumileds, Cree, and Osram. Following smartphone flash LED upgrade to dual-flash, the industry anticipates continued growth for flash LED. Taiwanese manufacturers including chip manufacturer Genesis Photonics, package manufacturers Everlight and LiteOn Technology are all aiming to enter into the flash LED supply chain. Everlight has already snatched a hefty market share since its product entry into  China’s smartphone supply chain. Samsung, which previously used in-house package specs, is also taking into consideration its export market, and planning a major shift into the2016 LED market.

As far as flash LED specs are concerned, 2016 is the main spec used in smartphone flash applications. Previously, Samsung mostly used 4139 LED combined with LED package components, optical reflectors, and second optic lens. In smartphone applications, 4139 LED requires more space due to its larger size compared to 2016. Therefore, aside from Samsung smartphones applications 4139 is rarely used in smartphones. 

Samsung is planning to expand flash LED exports, and hopes to switch to 2016 specs, according to LEDinside understanding. With more  manufacturers entering the flash LED market, industry insiders believe that the current price for a single flash LED unit will continue to drop from US $0.25. It is projected flash LED prices slides will escalate in 1Q14.