Largan Technology said its smartphone lens business remains on a steady growth track, even as key customer launch timing shifts into 2026 and 2027. The change could reshape seasonal demand patterns for global smartphone supply chains, while memory price inflation and AI-related pressure add uncertainty for manufacturers and component suppliers.
Largan chairman Adam Lin said the company's 2026 production and sales focus will still center on smartphone lenses, but the customer's product schedule will differ sharply from prior years. In the past, new models were mainly unveiled in the fourth quarter, he said, whereas in 2026, half are expected in the fourth quarter and the other half in the first quarter of 2027.
That shift, Lin said, will alter Largan's traditional busiest period in the third quarter. He said July 2026 is likely to feel less busy than usual, with production loading compressed into later months. "Instead, the weight of the fourth quarter of 2026 will be relatively higher, because there are orders from the first quarter of 2027," he said, adding that full-year operations may show an unusual "quarter by quarter growth" pattern.
Lin also said a sharp rise in memory prices in 2026 is affecting smartphone customers' confidence to some extent. He said the customer's full-year order volume currently appears "about the same" as in 2025, although revenue performance will still depend on actual pull-ins and yield.
Looking ahead, Lin said periscope lenses will continue to improve in 2027 and 2028 as customers seek longer viewing distances while maintaining strong resolution both near and far. Development will move toward "a higher number of elements and higher magnification," he said, while the mainstream glass-plus-plastic design will remain in use.
Largan declined to comment on any single customer, after earlier market rumors suggested Apple may adjust the iPhone 18 launch plan, with Pro and foldable flagship models expected in September, and the iPhone 18 and Air delayed until the first half of 2027.
Lin also said the optics industry faces significant pressure from AI. He said he once worried that advances in AI would reduce the importance of lens specifications and "would also eat into our future."
He said that prompted Largan to enter the FAU field and develop related projects, combining technology and industry trends to produce results after years of effort. Lin added that Largan lacks both land and talent, so it must continue strengthening its core lens business, while treating Fiber Array and Micro Lens Array as second priorities.
Article translated by Jingyue Hsiao and edited by Joseph Tsai
