Claims of Sony cameras in iPhone 5 'silly,' Apple likely to keep OmniVision
It's highly unlikely that Sony's chief executive would bad-mouth Apple if the company were to actually supply camera lenses for its next-generation iPhone, one Wall Street analyst believes. Instead, there is evidence that Apple will stick with OmniVision for its lenses.
Comments by Sony CEO Howard Stringer gained significant traction last week when they were interpreted to mean that the company could supply an 8 megapixel camera for Apple's anticipated iPhone 5. Previously, Omnivision was the supplier for the 5 megapixel camera in the iPhone 4, and the 3.2 megapixel camera found in the iPhone 3GS.
Analyst Yair Reiner with Oppenheimer & Co. said he expects that OmniVision will remain the camera supplier for Apple's fifth-generation iPhone. He said checks with contacts in Apple's supply chain have indicated that OmniVision sensors will be used in the next iPhone.
In addition, Stringer, in an interview with Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal, took a shot at Apple when he saw an audience member holding an iPad. "Be careful it doesn't burn you if you wave it around," Stringer reportedly said.
The original article also quoted Stringer as saying: "It always puzzles me, why would I make Apple the best camera?" Reiner interpreted this as a rhetorical question meant to suggest that Sony would not help Apple by supplying cameras for the next iPhone.
"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 said. "Based on our independent field work, we continue to strongly believe that OmniVision has won the image sensor slots on the next iPhone."
Reiner said that he believes the "blogosphere has grossly inverted the meaning of Stringer's statements." However, the original report from writer Jessica E. Vascellaro of the Journal also raised the question of what Stringer meant by his comments.
"It is unclear what devices he was talking about as Sony isn't known to supply key camera components, known as image sensors, to Apple," Vascellaro wrote. "A Sony spokeswoman declined to comment and an Apple spokesperson couldn't be reached for comment."
Recent reports have suggested that Apple will not show off a new iPhone at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, as it has done in years past. Numerous stories have claimed that Apple is planning a later launch date this year.
That launch could perhaps be as late as the company's 2012 fiscal year, starting in late September, as the company has apparently not yet begun to order components for its fifth-generation iPhone.
Comments by Sony CEO Howard Stringer gained significant traction last week when they were interpreted to mean that the company could supply an 8 megapixel camera for Apple's anticipated iPhone 5. Previously, Omnivision was the supplier for the 5 megapixel camera in the iPhone 4, and the 3.2 megapixel camera found in the iPhone 3GS.
Analyst Yair Reiner with Oppenheimer & Co. said he expects that OmniVision will remain the camera supplier for Apple's fifth-generation iPhone. He said checks with contacts in Apple's supply chain have indicated that OmniVision sensors will be used in the next iPhone.
In addition, Stringer, in an interview with Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal, took a shot at Apple when he saw an audience member holding an iPad. "Be careful it doesn't burn you if you wave it around," Stringer reportedly said.
The original article also quoted Stringer as saying: "It always puzzles me, why would I make Apple the best camera?" Reiner interpreted this as a rhetorical question meant to suggest that Sony would not help Apple by supplying cameras for the next iPhone.
"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 said. "Based on our independent field work, we continue to strongly believe that OmniVision has won the image sensor slots on the next iPhone."
Reiner said that he believes the "blogosphere has grossly inverted the meaning of Stringer's statements." However, the original report from writer Jessica E. Vascellaro of the Journal also raised the question of what Stringer meant by his comments.
"It is unclear what devices he was talking about as Sony isn't known to supply key camera components, known as image sensors, to Apple," Vascellaro wrote. "A Sony spokeswoman declined to comment and an Apple spokesperson couldn't be reached for comment."
Recent reports have suggested that Apple will not show off a new iPhone at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, as it has done in years past. Numerous stories have claimed that Apple is planning a later launch date this year.
That launch could perhaps be as late as the company's 2012 fiscal year, starting in late September, as the company has apparently not yet begun to order components for its fifth-generation iPhone.
Comments
I thought Stringer was decently smart (although he has not been able to reverse Sony's decline). What does he even mean by the "Doesn't burn you" comment?
He was talking out his a$$! Sony is a dino. Yeah they make great video cameras, the big ones that cost like 80 thousand, Bravia tvs, psp and ps3 but that is it. They suck everywhere else. IMHO.
My iphone took better pictures than any effing high end Sony camera I test in best buy last year.
A $500.00 12 mega pixel Sony camera was pwned by my 5 mega pixel iphone 4. What a damn shame!!!!
I'm getting the new psp 2 later this year though.
You can view that in many ways, but still.
Just sayin.
What does he even mean by the "Doesn't burn you" comment?
Yeah, what is that?
He was talking out his a$$! Sony is a dino. Yeah they make great video cameras, the big ones that cost like 80 thousand, Bravia tvs, psp and ps3 but that is it. They suck everywhere else. IMHO.
My iphone took better pictures than any effing high end Sony camera I test in best buy last year.
A $500.00 12 mega pixel Sony camera was pwned by my 5 mega pixel iphone 4. What a damn shame!!!!
I'm getting the new psp 2 later this year though.
You must have very fuzzy vision then. My five year old Sony Cybershot with a Carl Zeiss lens which is about four to five times the size of the iPhone 4 lens takes much better pictures. The bigger the lens means more light is let in and that means more detail. You can't get a good idea of the photo on any camera/smartphone screen. You need to upload them to a computer to get a good sense of the size and detail and light in the shot.
I thought Stringer was decently smart (although he has not been able to reverse Sony's decline). What does he even mean by the "Doesn't burn you" comment?
Maybe Sony made the batteries in it and he knows they are prone to fires.
Yeah, what is that?
I don´t get it either
"In addition, Stringer, in an interview with Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal, took a shot at Apple when he saw an audience member holding an iPad. "Be careful it doesn't burn you if you wave it around," Stringer reportedly said."
I suspect he was thinking about the old MBP issue of getting hot and doesn't know the difference between an iPad and Mac Book.
"In addition, Stringer, in an interview with Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal, took a shot at Apple when he saw an audience member holding an iPad. "Be careful it doesn't burn you if you wave it around," Stringer reportedly said."
It's obvious, Stringer thinks the iPad is hot.
Yeah, what is that?
The iPad 2 is one hot commodity?
I suspect he was thinking about the old MBP issue of getting hot and doesn't know the difference between an iPad and Mac Book.
"In addition, Stringer, in an interview with Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal, took a shot at Apple when he saw an audience member holding an iPad. "Be careful it doesn't burn you if you wave it around," Stringer reportedly said."
Actually he is likely responding to tales of a very small cut of iPads, mainly being used outside in very sunny days in areas where the temps top 90 degrees before noon, overheating to the point that the units auto shutdown to try to prevent internal damage (after flashing up a warning that it should be taken inside etc)
They are good for taking those candid shots but they are no SLR and rather Apple not put in a 8 or 10 MP camera in their products, save the money for other features like better displays or RF chips so it work better as a phone
Who knows what Stringer meant by his remarks? He could have been trying to make a joke, which didn't come off very well. We know that Sony has made computers for Apple over the years, and has supplied many parts such as CD/DVD players and recorders.
when I read this it did not make sense why Apple would use Sony CCD's they are not cost affective and most of Sony's CCD go into their own cameras and Camcorders. Sony is not the lower cost solution either and why would you put a high power CCD into ipad or iphone, anyone who thinks a phone or a table is a picture taking platform is kidding themselves. yeah they take okay pictures but they are not much better then the 110 Instamatics from the 80's.
They are good for taking those candid shots but they are no SLR and rather Apple not put in a 8 or 10 MP camera in their products, save the money for other features like better displays or RF chips so it work better as a phone
Most of Sony's sensors are sold to OEM's such as Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and many others.
I expect OmniVision to continue providing the camera lens for iPhones. The current lens is fine for the next gen iPhone.
You must have very fuzzy vision then. My five year old Sony Cybershot with a Carl Zeiss lens which is about four to five times the size of the iPhone 4 lens takes much better pictures. The bigger the lens means more light is let in and that means more detail. You can't get a good idea of the photo on any camera/smartphone screen. You need to upload them to a computer to get a good sense of the size and detail and light in the shot.
Agreed. I own the 10.3 MP DSC-R1 which comes with the Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* and for sure the quality of those shots won't be touched by a camera phone for a while at least.
Of course, this camera is 6 years old and they are still going for $500 on Amazon as used.
Agreed. I own the 10.3 MP DSC-R1 which comes with the Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* and for sure the quality of those shots won't be touched by a camera phone for a while at least.
Of course, this camera is 6 years old and they are still going for $500 on Amazon as used.
Not to mention that Sony make the sensors for most of the amazing DSLR's out there:
Olympus, Pentax, Nikon, that are the best for IQ, high ISO performance, and speed. Fuzzy vision is right. But you can get very fine images even from a cheap lens. Lens helps, but if you have a great lens on a crap sensor, the image will look very bad. A cheap kit lens will outperform a great lens on a bad sensor any day.
I hope Apple ads infrared night-vision to the iPhone/iPad camera!
I hope you are joking because how many people would want to pay for infrared night-vision on an iPhone or iPad. I am sure that money would be better spent on a component most people would actually want and use.