CWL, thanks for the above link ? quite impressive growth number of >50% for 2021! How come that Aixtron still has a somewhat muted view on VCSEL for the time being? In the last CC Bernd Schulte was talking about no ?indication for a fast need of capacity? (see full answer below, only admitting that ?this can change overnight?. I.e. I don?t fully understand why >50% growth is expected but there are still no signs of additional orders at Aixtron ? in particular when taking into account that the new premium iPhone is supposed to have a world-facing 3D feature.
Any educated guesstimate from your perspective on the potential lead-time of these orders, i.e. when would orders need to be placed with Aixtron to accommodate this anticipated 2021 growth?
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?Bernd Schulte, President & Member of the Executive Board: David, on the 3D sensing, it is basically still in the situation that there is capacity for, let's say, the ongoing products, which are in the market. And for the markets, the existing capacity is enough, and it requires really an uptick in additional capacity requirements coming from end applications, meaning more cell phones, more high-volume cell phones are using on the face and world side 3D sensing applications. Because that's what's driving the short-term demand in 3D sensing. Nevertheless, we are very optimistic about the long-term demand in 3D sensing, looking in industrial, looking in automotive applications.
But this is more in the long term, but in the very short term, we're selling 3D sensing tools here and there. And it's basically mostly to customers in China or Taiwan, the -- basically, the established supplier into the supply chain of iPhones. They -- in the moment, they don't give us indication for a fast need of capacity. However, from the past, I remember well, this can change overnight, yes? So this is -- because it doesn't require any development, nothing. You just place an order and (inaudible) delivered as fast as possible.?
(Source: I listened to the call and wrote it down, i.e. don?t claim this to be 100% correct)
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