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SK
hynix to exit image sensor business and focus on AI
Korea
JoongAng Daily - Chip giant SK hynix said Thursday it had decided to withdraw
from the image sensor business for smartphones and digital cameras to focus on
AI memory in a bid to strengthen its competitiveness as a leading AI memory
provider.
“In
order to solidify our position as a global AI company, we will integrate the
image sensor business unit into the AI memory business,” SK hynix said in a
release.
The
company said the decision would allow it to sharpen its focus on AI memory and
establish itself as a “full-stack AI memory provider,” offering a broad array
of AI-centric memory products and technologies.
“With
the rise of the AI era, our company has made significant achievements in AI
memory and now faces a turning point to become a leader in the AI industry,”
the company said. “We made the decision to consolidate our capabilities and
strengthen our AI memory competitiveness.”
SK
hynix entered the image sensor, or complementary metal oxide semiconductor
image sensor (CIS), market in 2008 and launched its CIS brand, Black Pearl, the
following year. However, the business has struggled with low profit amid
intensifying competition and declining demand for smartphones.
A
CIS is a semiconductor that converts light into digital images using
complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology. It is widely used in many
devices, including smartphones, digital cameras and security systems.
