Sony Aims for 20% Image Sensor Sales Growth This Year, Following 40% Growth Last Year

Reuters: Tomoyuki Suzuki, head of Sony's device solutions business, said he expected sensor sales to grow about 100 billion yen ($804 million) to 550 billion in the year ending March 2016. That would be slower than the 40% rise of the previous year. But Suzuki said demand was so strong that Sony was struggling to keep up.

"We're seeing very good demand at the moment," he told Reuters in an interview. "We don't have slack."

Apple is Sony's top customer, followed by Samsung. Chinese handset makers such as Xiaomi also use Sony sensors for high-end models, analysts said.

"We want to be inside a variety of customers," Suzuki said. "When it comes to semiconductors, if you can't make use of production capacity you quickly end up with a loss. So if you want to avoid that volatility the important thing is to have good balance with several customers."

"Of course we will meet the requirements of our top customer, but we are expanding capacity with orders from Chinese smartphone makers in mind," Suzuki said.

The superior low-light sensitivity would give Sony an advantage as it expands into automobile-related products, Suzuki said.