OmniVision Announces Solution to Shortage of 2MP Image Sensors

PRNewswire: OmniVision announces a 2M image sensor OV02B manufactured using 12ʺ wafers, instead of the 8ʺ wafers that are in tight supply but are typically used for 2MP sensors. The OmniPixel3-HS pixel technology provides the OV02B with a 1.75um pixel pitch in a 1/5ʺ optical format.

"The strong growth trend in smartphone multicameras that we saw in 2019, for both main and front-facing cameras, is continuing to accelerate in 2020. In the entry level and mainstream markets, smartphone camera designers favor 2MP image sensors to produce bokeh effects, as they provide a significant cost advantage over higher resolution sensors," said Parson Li, OmniVision's senior mobile product marketing manager. "While the demand for 2MP image sensors is growing, there is a shortage of the 8ʺ wafers used to produce them. Our new OV02B is built on 12ʺ wafers while maintaining a die size that is comparable to our existing 2MP sensors, offering an effective alternative for cost sensitive entry level and mainstream smartphones."