Update June 24, 2010: I received a mail from Chipworks saying:
"The sensor in the iPhone is believed to be the OmniVision 1.7 as disclosed by Apple. We made an error in our post describing it as 1.4 and have fixed it.
We are expected to have the camera module in our RE labs today and will fully confirm the device. (It was torn down in California)."
Below is OV5642 die photo:
Update #2: EETimes published UBM TechInsights findings from its iPhone 4 teardown:
"The phone's front-facing five-Mpixel camera is either the OV5650 or the OV5653 based on specifications and preliminary die photos inspection. The image sensors have appeared in handsets the group has examined, however it is a relatively modern choice compared to image sensors in past iPhones, and it supports backside illumination.
"Typically Apple uses older image sensors to save a few dollars," said Steve Bitton, a product manager with UBM TechInsights working on the iPhone 4 teardown.
Update #3: UBM TechInsights published iPhone 4 sensor photo with following comments:
"By examining the image sensor package and by comparing the die photo and specifications to our die image library, we have identified the 5 MP image sensor as the Omnivision OV5650 with backside illumination technology."
Here is the die photo:
1,4 !!!!
ReplyDeleteunlike the 1,7 announced by steve !
This was misleading...
Chipworks is probably wrong. The 5642 is the TrueFocus device. Apple would likely use a RAW sensor. Jobs mentioned on the presentation that the sensor was 1.75u pixel. The only part that fits that description (BSI, 1.75u pixel, RAW) is the 5650.
ReplyDeleteAs a shareholder of Omnivision I would be delighted to see the TrueFocus part in the iPhone, but it just doesn't ring true.
If you believe Chipworks can measure array size correctly (and I do), and you believe that it is a 5 MP sensor, then the pixel size must be 1.4 um. Furthermore, from the array fill factor, it must be an SOC product, not a RAW product. Maybe its the 5640.
ReplyDeleteRead carefully... the picture shown by Chipworks is not from the actual sensor in the iPhone. They "think" that it is a 5642 probably because they want to sell a few more of their 5642 reverse engineering reports.
ReplyDelete"Apple already disclosed that the sensor used backside illumination (BSI) technology and therefore, it is likely that the device is the OmniVision OV5642"
why didn't apple debut ovt's new bsi-2 product? because it was not ready yet, because it was not as good as the bsi-1?
ReplyDelete@ "Read carefully... the picture shown by Chipworks is not from the actual sensor in the iPhone."
ReplyDeleteI've just got a correction mail from Chipworks and copied it in the post body. The mail says:
"The sensor in the iPhone is believed to be the OmniVision 1.7 as disclosed by Apple. We made an error in our post describing it as 1.4 and have fixed it.
We are expected to have the camera module in our RE labs today and will fully confirm the device. (It was torn down in California)."
Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThe only 1.75u BSI 5MP in the Omnivision product line is the OV5650 which is a RAW sensor. I'll bet that takes some beautiful pictures.
Do we expect a reaction from Rim, HTC & Nokia ?
ReplyDeleteNokia probably not, as they seem completely outpaced in the smartphone market. They recently desapoint S&P.
The good news is to see the BSI continuing the market penetration in consumer world.
After Sony Dsc and Handycam, this is a good news for all the engineers involved in the development.
Does Apple have a strict double source strategy ?
Who is the lens supplier? Who is the module maker? Picture quality also depends on the lens... you see.
ReplyDeleteSo, 2592 x 1936 pixels of 1.75µ would make the active area 4.5 x 3.4 mm
ReplyDeleteThat photo looks like the sensor has chip Rs and Cs inside the package...Can that be?
ReplyDeleteMaker VPT and LG
ReplyDeleteThe packaging method is TS or TC flipchip, smts are on the other side of the ceramic substrate
ReplyDelete@ "Who is the lens supplier? ... Picture quality also depends on the lens... you see."
ReplyDeleteDigitimes just published that Genius Electronic Optical has begun shipments of 5MP camera lens for iPhone 4 in small volumes, according to the paper sources.
It looks like Genius is Apple's second source for the lens. It is still having yield problems.
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100628PD200.html
hi, anyone who knows which ISP does IP4 use?
ReplyDelete