Date: 10/08/2015

16M image sensors from Toshiba and Samsung compete for thin smart phones

With the sales of 5 mm thin smart phones picking up globally, Samsung has announced a new slim image sensor with the pixel size of 1 micro meter. Most of the available 16M image sensors now in the market is with pixel size of 1.12 micro meters. Recently another leading image sensor manufacturer Toshiba has also announced a thin profiled image sensor but with the pixel size of 1.12 micro meters. Samsung’s new image sensor, the S5K3P3 competes with Toshiba's new image sensor T4KC3.

Samsung said in its release "Built with 1.0µm pixels, Samsung’s new 16Mp image sensor reduces the module’s overall height by 20 percent, compared to current 1.12µm-pixel based 16Mp sensor modules."

S5K3P3 uses a technology called ISOCELL technology to deliver image quality as good as 1.12µm-pixel based image sensors, claims Samsung.

Toshiba claims its T4KC3 is the world’s smallest class 16MP BSI CMOS image sensor and targets thin smart phones. T4KC3 offers features such as Quick focusing with PDAF, Bright Mode technology to boost image brightness up to four times and enables HD video capture at 240fps equivalent, 16Kbit OTP to store lens shading correction data for four conditions at maximum, such as indoors and outdoors, daylight and sunset.

Toshiba has slated T4KC3 for volume manufacturing in the December month of 2015. The Sample prices of T4KC3 is 1,700 yen.

Samsung said its new S5K3P3 image sensor is available now for mobile device manufacturers to design into their next-generation products. However Samsung has not mentioned whether the availability is in volumes or samples and also not disclose the sample prices.



Pic above: Toshiba's T4KC3 (left) and Samsung's S5K3P3 (right) image sensors
Author: Srinivasa Reddy N
Author: Srinivasa Reddy N