Cost-effective 16MP upgrade for smartphone cameras with thin bezels

Yole Développement predicts that, on average, there will be three cameras per smartphone by 2022. With the OV16A, manufacturers can add a third camera for high-quality, ultra-wide-angle photos in high-end smartphones. Additionally, the OV16A extends battery life with the industry’s lowest power consumption; ten percent lower than the nearest competitor’s 16 MP 1.0 micron sensor.

Thin-bezel phones are gaining in popularity because of increased demand for full-display selfie screens. However, these space limiting thin-bezel designs require compact front-facing cameras. The OV16A allows designers to incorporate just such a camera in the bezel, and with 2.0-micron-equivalent pixel performance.

“Designers want to achieve the best balance among cost, image quality and low power consumption,” said Jason Chiang, Product Marketing Manager at OmniVision. “The cost-effective OV16A allows them to provide excellent performance in a high-resolution camera for various smartphone applications, including tri-camera designs. The four cell colour filter allows users to consistently capture high-quality photos without motion blur, even in low-light conditions indoors.”

The compact OV16A enables the industry’s smallest fixed-focus camera modules, with dimensions down to 6.5x6mm. Additionally, its top and bottom pad configuration allows thin-bezel designs for full-display selfie screens. The sensor’s 2x1 microlens phase detection autofocus (ML-PDAF) boosts autofocus accuracy, especially in low light.

The OV16A will begin sampling in February 2019.