According to TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Sony will take over as the sole provider of LiDAR Scanner components for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max from Lumentum and WIN Semi.
Sony to provide Apple with LiDAR components for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
In a new Twitter thread, Kuo claims that Sony’s time-of-flight VCSEL uses less energy than those made by Apple’s current vendors. This would make the LiDAR Scanner more power efficient on the iPhone 15 Pro versions.
Sony will replace Lumentum (design) / Win Semi (production) as the exclusive ToF VCSEL supplier for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Lumentum/Win Semi will face long-term structural risks in the VCSEL market.
According to Kuo, this might either lead to longer battery life or allow for the LiDAR Scanner to offer enhanced performance at the same level of power consumption that is currently utilized by existing iPhones.
The critical design of Sony’s ToF VCSEL solution is integrating VCSEL & driver IC, which can reduce power consumption (beneficial for battery life) or provide better ToF performance under same power consumption (beneficial for camera & potential AR applications).
According to Kuo, augmented reality applications as well as camera functions like Night Mode and Autofocus could benefit from the upgraded LiDAR Scanner. The LiDAR Scanner, which was first included on iPhone 12 Pro models in 2020, can measure light distance and record depth data.
The LiDAR Scanner will reportedly be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in this year’s lineup.
Read more:
- New iPhone 15 CADs reveal USB-C port, Dynamic Island, larger display and more
- Concept iPhone 15 Ultra imagines Apple Watch Ultra design with orange Action Button
- Apple procures 100% of TSMC’s N3 chips for iPhone 15 Pro and MacBook
- iPhone 15 Pro to exclusively feature Wi-Fi 6E confirms leaked document
- Leaked image of iPhone 15 Pro shows titanium design and USB-C port
- The performance of the iPhone 15’s USB-C port may rely on Apple certified accessories
