Smartphone component makers including Primax Electronics and Merry Electronics have recently cut into ultrabook supply chain as ultrabook's requirement of featuring 0.7-0.8-inch thickness is forcing related brand vendors to seek partnership from makers of smartphone components such as speakers and camera modules.
Since ultrabook's thin and light design require related components to have a form factor smaller than their traditional form - the hard drive height has to shrink from the traditional 9.5mm to only 7mm or 5mm, while camera modules need to have a thickness 50% less than that used in traditional notebooks and speakers that are used in traditional notebook are also not able to be used.
To fulfill the requirement, some brand vendors have sought assistance from camera module makers to have them supply smartphone camera modules that are produced through chip on film (COF) processes and used in ultrabooks.
As for makers of the traditional notebook camera module, they have adopted a new COB process to help reduce the height of their module.
Since camera modules that are produced through COF have a cost 40% higher than that produced through COB, COF-based camera modules are expected to only have a small penetration into the notebook camera market initially.
Article translated by Joseph Tsai
