TAIPEI: An increase in the level of penetration of notebook cameras might pull down prices of image sensors and controller ICs used in notebook cameras in 2009.

Market observers foresee a decline of 3-4 per cent on quarter and 17-18 p.c on year due to such a phenomenon. Digitimes, quoting the Industrial Technology Information Service (ITIS) of Taiwan said that total shipments of built-in notebook cameras will pierce the 100 million unit mark in year 2009. This in percentage terms would be a rise of 45.8 per cent year on year and representing a penetration rate of 74.3per cent, driven by shipments of netbooks with built-in cameras.

Notebook cameras have become a rage with the numbers increasing since year 2006. The trend was kick started when notebook sellers started to pay more attention to added-value features and as year 2008 dawned, notebook camera penetration rate went up by a massive 55.8 per cent from the pervious year’s 31.7 per cent. The year 2009 figures saw that the price of notebook camera related ICs dropped 10 per cent during the first quarter.

ITIS has also said that the demand for notebook camera demand has brought to the fore the heavy price competition to the IC market. While the price of image sensors dropped 5-10 per cent during every quarter in 2008, controller IC prices plummeted by 5-10 per cent.