iPhone 5 with 8 megapixel camera? Reading this ad I'm starting to believe that the implementation of an 8 megapixel camera in the iPhone will take place only next year considering that now Omnivision produces image sensors capable of recording video in 1080p format with 5 megapixel cameras. The Omnivision announcement was made today and the new image sensors will be 20% smaller than those of the previous generation but will be able to record much better quality images. OV5690 is the name of the new sensor that, in my opinion, will be found in the iPhone launched this year by Apple.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OVTI), a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today introduced the OV5690, the first 5-megapixel image sensor to use OmniVision's proprietary OmniBSI-2 pixel architecture. The new 1.4-micron backside illumination pixel allows for a full five megapixels in a 1/4-inch optical format, and combines best-in-class image quality with a 20 percent reduction in camera module height, making it an effective solution for slimmer mobile handsets, smart phones and tablet computers.
My opinion is that Apple will want to keep the iPhone as thin as possible but offer the best possible image quality, so we will probably have the same camera but which will record video in 1080p format. From my point of view, it's a step in the right direction for Apple, because the camera is not only used to record video, but also to take pictures, and the iPhone does not do exceptionally well in this regard. Whether we will have the 8 megapixel camera or not remains to be seen, but considering this announcement, it may not be so.
