Market research & strategy consulting company, Yole Group, releases its latest report, ‘Status of the CIS Industry 2026’, which confirms that Sony accounts for almost half of global CMOS image sensor revenue. And, as Sony extends its lead, China overtakes South Korea, becoming the industry’s second-largest supplier base.

Sony accounted for around 50% of global CIS revenue in 2025, gaining significant share and moving closer to its long-standing leadership target. Its performance was mainly driven by premium mobile imaging, Apple-related demand, larger optical formats, higher-resolution sensors, and advanced stacked architectures.

Samsung remains the second-largest CIS supplier, but its revenue is broadly stagnant, reflecting stronger competition from Sony in premium smartphones and from Chinese suppliers in mid- and low-end segments.

“China’s rise is not only market-driven but also supply-chain-driven. Indeed, Chinese CIS suppliers increasingly combine domestic foundry access, international manufacturing routes, and stronger links with local camera module players to improve cost, qualification, and time-to-market,” said Anas Chalak, Technology & Market Analyst, Imaging at Yole Group.

Yole Group’s report offers further insight of the market, technology and ecosystem trends shaping the CIS industry’s future, including revenue, shipments, ASP, and wafer production forecasts through 2031.