Sales of imaging sensors were again the bright spot for Sony’s smartphone-related businesses in its fiscal Q3 (calendar Q4 2019), although the company warned the continued spread of the Coronavirus respiratory illness could affect shipments and hit its global supply chain.

Sony recorded sales of JPY298 billion ($2.7 billion) in its Imaging and Sensing Solutions Segment, up 29 per cent year-on-year.

The company is cashing in on demand from smartphone manufacturers for larger image sensors and multiple lenses on cameras.

However, in an earnings call, CFO Hiroki Totoki warned shipments of sensors could be impacted by the Coronavirus if smartphone makers are forced to suspend manufacturing in China.

Totoki said the company can’t deny the “possibility of the virus threat expanding to a scale large enough” to hurt its outlook.

For now, image sensor sales remain strong.

However, the same cannot be said for its Mobile Communications unit, falling under its broader Electronics Products and Solutions Segment, which continued to see declines.

Mobile sales decreased 9 per cent to JPY113.5 billion, on the back of a fall in smartphone sales.

At group level, revenue grew 3 per cent to JPY2.5 trillion, but net profit almost halved to JPY229.5 billion, from JPY429 billion, mainly due to losses in its music division.