Samsung’s latest flagship phone Note 7 iris recognition features created a new buzz in the market, as the new phone’s IR modules used for optical recognition is expected to benefit IR LED manufacturers, such as Epistar and High Power Lighting, reported UDN.
Epistar’s has been developing products to meet emerging innovative applications, including IR, AlInGaN and other red LED technology in consumer electronics and industrial applications. With end product interface applications becoming increasingly intelligent, it has spurred vendors to develop new recognition technologies into their products. Even though Samsung used in-house manufactured iris recognition sensors for its flagship phone, the introduction of iris recognition in smartphones could spur market developments.
A separate DIGITIMES report provides evidence of the Taiwanese LED chip manufacturer’s optimistic outlook, claiming Epistar has been modifying its blue-light LED chip MOCVDs to meet growing AlInGaP LED chip orders it received since second quarter of 2016.
About seven MOCVDs for manufacturing blue LEDs have been modified into AlInGaP equipments, with another 13 to be refitted during third quarter of 2016, said the company.
LED chip orders soared on growing demands for small pitch LED displays, and IR LEDs used in surveillance systems, said Epistar. The company’s present orders for AlInGaP LED chips extends for three months, and revenue share rose to 25% to 30%, said the company.
During first quarter of 2016, Epistar temporarily halted production of 25% of its 450-500 MOCVDs, due to stagnant LED chip demands and continual price drops. According to the DIGITIMES report, Epistar will put some of the AlInGaP LED MOCVDs back in production and initiated modifying blue LED equipment to meet strong AlInGaP LED chip demands.