"Half a year to take down four flagship models, AAC TECH (02018) WLG glass-plastic lens sales this year exceed the total of the previous three years."

The development of glass-plastic hybrid lens technology is accelerating. Recently, REDMI released its first Pro Max model ever - REDMI K90 Pro Max. On the first day of sales, the sales volume of the K90 series exceeded 130,000 units, with the Pro Max sales volume being 120% higher than the previous generation. In addition to the 1/1.31-inch main camera sensor, this model also features a 1G6P glass-plastic hybrid lens, which is an important configuration of the imaging system. This is the fourth flagship mainstream model to incorporate AAC TECH's WLG glass-plastic hybrid lens in less than half a year. The previous three models were the Xiaomi MIX Flip 2 released in June, the Huawei Pura 80 series, and the Xiaomi 17 series released in September, especially the latter two being models with sales in the millions to tens of millions. Glass-plastic hybrid lens technology has been increasingly favored by manufacturers in recent years, especially evident as we approach 2025. This is mainly due to the synergistic effect of glass (G) and plastic (P) lenses, achieving key breakthroughs in imaging quality, module thickness control, and mass production feasibility. Glass lenses, with their high refractive index and low dispersion characteristics, can effectively correct spherical and chromatic aberrations, significantly improving edge resolution and image uniformity. Their excellent thermal stability (thermal expansion coefficient much lower than plastic) helps overcome focus shift issues caused by temperature changes, ensuring consistency in imaging during outdoor shooting or video recording. Compared to plastic lenses, glass lenses perform better in terms of refractive index and dispersion. In terms of structure, the hybrid solution of "replacing plastic with glass" can achieve higher optical performance with fewer lenses, helping to reduce the total length and thickness of the lens assembly. For example, a 6P+1G structure can reduce the thickness by about 10% compared to a traditional 7P lens, providing greater flexibility in internal space design for smartphones. At the same time, the high transmittance of glass lenses can increase overall light transmittance, combined with a larger aperture design to improve low-light performance and bokeh effects. Lu Weibing once mentioned on Weibo that the 1G+6P WLG glass-plastic hybrid lens with individual coating can significantly reduce glare. According to Xiaomi, lens assemblies with glass-plastic hybrid lenses can greatly optimize curved glare, effectively reduce image fogging, and significantly eliminate ghosting. In fact, REDMI and Xiaomi can be considered as "pioneers" in glass-plastic hybrid lens technology. As early as 2022, the REDMI K50 Extreme Edition became the world's first smartphone to feature a one billion pixel WLG hybrid lens, attracting widespread industry attention. Subsequent models from Xiaomi, such as the Civi series, flagship large foldable MIX Fold series, and small foldable MIX Flip series, have all incorporated AAC TECH WLG glass-plastic hybrid lenses. The recent application in the mainstream digital flagship Xiaomi 17 series has become a significant milestone for the further integration of glass-plastic hybrid lenses into mainstream applications. The technology of glass-plastic hybrid lenses has rapidly transitioned from the early industry observation stage to the current period of active participation by mainstream manufacturers and accelerated scale application. According to incomplete statistics, nearly 20 smartphones have adopted this technology in the past few years, covering brands such as Xiaomi, Sony, vivo, and Transsion, mainly used in rear main cameras. In 2025, the main camera of the Huawei Pura 80 series will be equipped with a glass-plastic hybrid lens with a stock level in the millions, further endorsing the technology in the industry. In the early stages, glass-plastic hybrid lenses faced challenges in terms of cost and yield, but in recent years, with breakthroughs in core processes, their stability in large-scale production and cost efficiency has substantially improved. For example, after acquiring the Danish optical company kaleido in 2010, AAC TECH has been researching WLG technology and advocating for glass-plastic hybrid lenses. In recent years, their technology has made breakthroughs, achieving ultra-precise processing of about 150 cavities on a 4-inch wafer mold, which is tens of times more efficient than traditional glass non-spherical molding technology, better meeting the needs of large-scale production. According to industry sources, the shipment volume of AAC TECH WLG lenses in 2025 will exceed 10 million, equivalent to the total shipment volume of the past 2-3 years, and is expected to increase by over 50% compared to the previous year, indicating a further expansion of large-scale applications. In fact, the application of glass-plastic hybrid lenses is no longer limited to smartphone imaging systems. With its advantages in achieving high-performance imaging in a smaller volume, this technology is rapidly penetrating into areas such as vehicle-mounted ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems). In automotive applications, glass-plastic hybrid lenses can maintain thermal stability and image quality while significantly reducing costs and weight compared to an all-glass lens, demonstrating significant commercial potential. Analysts predict that in the future, more than 30% of new flagship smartphones will be equipped with glass-plastic hybrid lenses, and the annual growth rate in the ADAS field is expected to exceed 50%.