Sony will not get the contract to supply a new 8 megapixel camera for the new iPhone 5, as leaked by Sony boss Sir Howard Stringer, claim two industry analysts.Needham’s Rajvindra Gill insists that people have “grossly misinterpreted” comments by Sony head Howard Stringer, who let slip that shipments of camera sensors to Apple would be delayed. Apple currently relies on OmniVision for iPhone camera sensors.
Gill claims OmniVision will get a lock on supplying the cameras for the iPhone 5.
Gill argues that OmniVision is capable of as many as 72,000 wafers per month when cooperating with Taiwan Semi, while Sony may not reach 50,000 wafers per month until March 2012. OmniVision is also said to have technological superiority in the form of the BSI-2 sensor, and other advantages like cheaper parts, proximity to iPhone assembly and not being an Apple competitor. The iPhone 5 is rumoured to be getting an 8 megapixel sensor.
Electronista claims that Oppenheimer analyst Yair Reiner has completely dismisses the notion of Apple using Sony cameras. “A closer look at the article that sparked the conjecture suggests Stringer implied just the opposite — i.e. that the notion of such a hook-up was rather silly,” Reiner remarks.
“Based on our independent field work, we continue to strongly believe that OmniVision has won the image sensor slots on the next iPhone.”
