Thinner 8MP Camera For Smartphones Was Announced By Omnivision

Omnivision Technologies, longtime supplier of camera sensors for iOS devices, has presented a new 8MP sensor that is claimed to be 20 percent thinner than any 8MP module produced for commercial use.

Senior product manager at Omnivision Per Rosdahl said:

"With our new OmniBSI-2 architecture, we have further miniaturized our pixels while delivering a 20 percent improvement in peak quantum efficiency in all color channels, a 35 percent improvement in low-light sensitivity and a 45 percent increase in full-well capacity in an extremely compact and power efficient package".

The new camera module could lay the foundation for slimmer smartphone designs which is one of the major priorities for Apple. Omnivision’s technology was used in previous Apple’s devices and now it is used in the iPhone 4. Also there were strong rumors that Omnivision will be the one of two suppliers of 8 MP camera sensors for iPhone 5.

However, according to press release, this sensor may not be ready for the launch of iPhone 5 in October. Testing of new sensors will begin in August, and its mass production is planned in the first quarter of 2012.

For comparison, new camera sensor is 4.7 mm in height and 4.5 MP back-side camera in the current iPhone is measured to be 6.5 mm.