Under-Display Camera Patent Landscape 2026
Under-Display Camera Patent Landscape in 2026
The under-display camera field is expanding on a multi-year basis, though annual volume has eased from its 2023 peak; Samsung Electronics holds a commanding lead with 1,815 patent families, dwarfing all other filers. Concentration is extreme, with the top five filers capturing 95% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, leaving very little room for challengers in core device-integration routes.
Samsung holds an overwhelming lead in a highly concentrated field
Samsung Electronics sits at the apex of the under-display camera landscape with 1,815 patent families, a figure that exceeds the rest of the ranked applicants combined by an enormous margin. Huawei Technologies ranks second at 23 patent families, followed closely by vivo Mobile Communication at 18, Qualcomm at 17, and Apple at 15.
The top five filers account for 95% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signalling one of the most concentrated competitive structures in consumer electronics. The tier gap between Samsung and the second-ranked player is so wide that no single challenger can credibly match Samsung’s portfolio breadth in the near term.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 1,815 | |
| 2 | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 23 | |
| 3 | vivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. | 18 | |
| 4 | Qualcomm Incorporated | 17 | |
| 5 | Apple Inc. | 15 | |
| 6 | ZTE Corporation | 13 | |
| 7 | Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co., Ltd. | 12 | |
| 8 | Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation | 9 | |
| 9 | LG Display Co., Ltd. | 8 | |
| 10 | Google LLC | 7 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd. | 6 | |
| 12 | POCONS Co., Ltd. | 5 | |
| 13 | WaveTouch Denmark A/S | 4 | |
| 14 | WaveTouch Ltd. | 4 | |
| 15 | Molex LLC | 4 | |
| 16 | Infineon Technologies AG | 4 | |
| 17 | Adeia Imaging LLC | 3 | |
| 18 | Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. | 2 | |
| 19 | Motorola Mobility LLC | 2 | |
| 20 | Sony DepthSensing Solutions SA/NV | 2 |
Samsung’s position implies that any entrant or challenger faces a thicket of foundational patents spanning device integration, telephony, and antenna design. Selective specialisation in adjacent or sub-dominant technology branches is likely the more viable path for smaller players.
The most recent 18–24 months of filing data are subject to publication lag and therefore understate true recent activity; trend readings for 2024–2026 should be treated as provisional. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Rapid growth from 2019, a 2023 peak, and a broad multi-technology footprint
Filings in this field were negligible before 2019 and then scaled sharply through a 2023 peak, reflecting the commercial race to embed cameras beneath full-screen displays. The technology mix spans device integration, telephony, and structural hardware, indicating that under-display camera development is a system-level engineering challenge rather than a single-component problem.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings rose from near zero in 2019 to a peak of 599 patent families in 2023, then fell to 349 in 2024 and 168 in 2025; 2026 shows only 29, but all figures from 2024 onward are heavily understated by publication lag and should not be read as a real decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
Electric digital data processing (G06F) and telephonic communication (H04M) dominate the composition, consistent with smartphone-centric development; printed circuits (H05K) and antennas (H01Q) rank third and fourth, reflecting the structural integration challenges of embedding a camera beneath a display panel.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
A method and system for enhanced under-display cam…
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for under-display camera imaging method for an electronic device. In particular, the present invention enables simultaneous use of a camera and display, such that user can capture images while the camera remains hidden, without compromising on quality of image. The present disclosure enables an enhanced… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electronic device including antenna arrangement | 42 |
| 2 | Electronic device including flexible display | 31 |
| 3 | Electronic device including electronic component a… | 31 |
| 4 | Audio processing method and electronic device | 30 |
| 5 | Cover for foldable electronic device | 22 |
| 6 | Electronic device comprising image sensor | 16 |
| 7 | Electronic device including waterproof structure | 15 |
| 8 | Electronic device including friction reducing stru… | 14 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the landscape structure means for R&D investment decisions
The combination of extreme concentration, rapid multi-year growth, and a broad multi-branch technology footprint creates a distinctive risk-reward profile. Engineers and strategists need to navigate Samsung’s dominant position while identifying the sub-domains where portfolio gaps still exist.
Growth stage with annual volume easing from 2023 peak
The field is classified as Growth: the recent three-year filing window sits well above the prior three-year window, representing 319% growth on that basis. However, annual volume peaked in 2023 at 599 patent families and has eased since, suggesting the most explosive expansion phase has passed. Teams entering now must build differentiated positions rather than riding a broad rising tide.
Growth stageOne dominant player; second tier is thin and fragmented
Samsung’s 1,815 patent families versus Huawei’s 23 at second place represents an unusually steep tier gap. The top five filers hold 95% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, leaving challengers with limited room to contest foundational patents. Defensive freedom-to-operate analysis against Samsung’s portfolio is a prerequisite for any new entrant targeting core device-integration claims.
Extreme concentrationSamsung co-files with Molex, POCONS, and Carnegie Mellon University
The most active co-filing pairs are Samsung Electronics with Molex (4 joint families), Samsung Electronics with POCONS (2 joint families), and Sony Semiconductor Solutions with Sony DepthSensing Solutions (2 joint families). Samsung also holds one joint family with Carnegie Mellon University, indicating selective academic engagement. Outside the Samsung ecosystem, co-filing activity is sparse, suggesting the broader field has not yet developed a rich collaborative network.
Limited ecosystemEurope (EPO) leads filings; US and India are secondary markets
Europe via the EPO records the highest patent-record count at 1,016, followed by the United States at 528 and India at 134. Germany, China, and WIPO PCT filings also feature. The EPO lead is notable for a technology category dominated by Korean and Chinese device makers, and likely reflects Samsung’s deliberate European market-protection strategy. Teams targeting licensing or enforcement should map their coverage against these jurisdiction priorities.
EPO-led geographyGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Molex LLC | 4 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | POCONS Co., Ltd. Co., Ltd. | 2 |
| Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation | Sony DepthSensing Solutions SA/NV | 2 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Carnegie Mellon University | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Samsung dominates across system integration; challengers specialise narrowly
The applicant field is effectively a one-tier market at the portfolio level, with Samsung Engineering far ahead and a second tier of single-digit-to-low-double-digit family counts. Momentum signals show Samsung accelerating while some early movers have pulled back.
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics holds 1,815 patent families and is filing at 5.5× the rate of its prior three-year window, indicating that its dominance is intensifying rather than plateauing. Its technology focus is concentrated on telephonic communication (H04M), electric digital data processing (G06F), and antennas (H01Q), covering the full system stack from device integration to RF performance.
patent families: 1,815Qualcomm
Qualcomm holds 17 patent families and shows a declining trend at –58% versus its prior three-year window, suggesting a strategic pullback or portfolio consolidation. Its technology focus is anchored in telephonic communication (H04M) and pictorial communication (H04N), reflecting a chipset- and camera-processing angle rather than a full device-integration play.
patent families: 17| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 1,376 | ▲ 5.5× vs prior 3-yr |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 3 | ▼ -85% |
| vivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. | 15 | ▲ new entrant |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | 5 | ▼ -58% |
| Apple Inc. | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| ZTE Corporation | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| LG Display Co., Ltd. | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches adjacent to the dominant device-integration cluster
Several IPC branches sit at lower relative share within the under-display camera corpus and show potential technical relevance that is not yet fully exploited. These observations of relative sparsity do not automatically indicate commercial opportunity, but they identify areas where new filing activity would face less established prior art.
H04R · Loudspeakers & audio transducers
H04R accounts for 135 patent-record classifications in this corpus, a 3% share — modest relative to the dominant G06F and H04M branches. Under-display audio (integrating speakers or piezoelectric transducers beneath the same display surface as the camera) is a technically adjacent challenge that shares structural and acoustic-interference constraints with under-display camera design. Teams with expertise in acoustic-display integration could find this branch less crowded and potentially synergistic with existing under-display camera IP.
Search this in Eureka →G09G · Display control circuits
G09G covers display control circuits and appears at 85 patent-record classifications, representing a 2% share. Adaptive display-transparency control — dynamically managing pixel transmission to balance image capture quality against display brightness in the camera zone — is a core engineering challenge for under-display cameras that sits naturally in this branch. The relative sparsity suggests that display-driver and pixel-circuit specialisation has not yet attracted broad filing activity from outside the dominant players, potentially offering a targeted entry path for display-IC and panel-maker teams.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route emphasis
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H04M 1 · Telephonic communication | G06F 1 · Electric digital data processing | H01Q 1 · Antennas | G09F 9 · Displaying, advertising & signs | G06F 3 · Electric digital data processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Strong · 1,148 | Strong · 1,100 | Moderate · 321 | Moderate · 263 | Moderate · 258 |
| vivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. | Strong · 13 | Strong · 14 | Absent | Moderate · 7 | Moderate · 3 |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | Strong · 15 | Moderate · 6 | Absent | Moderate · 6 | Absent |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | Strong · 17 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 5 |
| Apple Inc. | Absent | Strong · 8 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 8 |
| Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co., Ltd. | Strong · 12 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| ZTE Corporation | Strong · 11 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covered by this analysis contains 1,977 patent families. Filing activity began in earnest in 2019 and peaked in 2023, with the field still expanding on a multi-year basis relative to its prior three-year window.
Samsung Electronics is by far the dominant filer with 1,815 patent families — more than all other ranked applicants combined. Huawei Technologies ranks second at 23 patent families, and vivo Mobile Communication ranks third at 18.
Europe via the EPO leads with 1,016 patent records, followed by the United States at 528 and India at 134. This EPO lead reflects deliberate European market-protection strategy, particularly from Samsung.
Electric digital data processing (G06F) and telephonic communication (H04M) are the two dominant branches, consistent with smartphone-centric development. Printed circuits and assemblies (H05K) and antennas (H01Q) rank third and fourth, reflecting the structural integration challenges of the technology.
The field is classified as Growth: the recent three-year filing window sits 319% above the prior three-year window. However, annual filings peaked in 2023 at 599 patent families and have eased since. Figures for 2024–2026 are understated by publication lag, so the current pace of activity is likely higher than raw counts suggest.
Co-filing activity is limited. The most active pairs identified are Samsung Electronics with Molex (4 joint families), Samsung Electronics with POCONS (2 joint families), and Sony Semiconductor Solutions with Sony DepthSensing Solutions (2 joint families). Samsung also holds one joint family with Carnegie Mellon University. Broader ecosystem collaboration has not yet emerged.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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