My European electronics engineering sources have recently told me about Canon Singapore sources showing off an internal document about the current iPhone sensor of 7.01 x 5.79 mm being replaced with a Canon or On Semiconductor manufactured RGB imager and lens-assembly. A set of 64 Megapixel one inch sensors is now being tested at Apple which are 13.2mm by 8.8mm (i.e. RGB Bayer-Patterned 1.3 microns per photosite) very-high-light-sensitivity imagers that are rumoured to rival even Sony Starvis image sensors in terms of low-light sensitivity. The KEY ISSUE is that Apple has been looking AWAY from Sony as its primary image sensor supplier via recent exploratory talks with On Semiconductor AND Canon being leaked to external 3rd parties!
My European Engineering Sources have told me that Apple and Sony have been having a recent technology and price disagreement about high-light-sensitivity Sony RGB image sensors not being made available at the price points Apple is looking for. Exploratory talks with BOTH On Semiconductor AND Canon have indicated a willingness to supply large and very light-sensitive RGB image sensors for super-smartphones at a minimum of 64 Megapixels (i.e. 9216 by 6912 pixels) in resolution.
A research and development contract was seen by an external 3rd party which indicated that Canon and On Semiconductor are both willing to supply such high light-sensitivity imagers to Apple at the price points needed. The current in-house rumor has Canon having the current technology/production lead over On Semiconductor due to an obvious and documented difference in the reduction of luminance and chroma noise between the Canon-supplied and On-supplied 64 megapixel one-inch-sized test image sensors during low-light conditions. Basically, it was found the Canon sensors looked much nicer on RGB output at pre-and-post sunset and sunrise light levels and during night-time street lighting photography scenarios in both still photo and video recording sessions. The new sensor offerings will be for an upcoming series of higher-end iPhone models. The exploratory talks with both image sensor suppliers were rumoured to have taken place in May 2023 with test sensors from both companies being shipped to Apple by December 2023.
I suspect Apple is trying to show Sony that it isn't kidding around and is VERY WILLING to change suppliers if it doesn't play ball with supplying low-light sensors at a good price point to Apple. Apple is large enough that even Sony is not immune to being put on notice for providing Apple a better price point or more technology-leading sub-systems!
I should also note that an American-based LIDAR/IR emitter supplier was ALSO INCLUDED in this exploratory set of talks which indicates Apple is likely going ahead with the long-rumoured high-resolution 3D-XYZ scanner that will be included in future iPad and iPhone systems used to support live 3D-XYZ object and 3D-Environment scanning during still photo and video recording sessions to be used as datasets for the Apple Vision Pro AR/VR glasses systems now available and for those future AR/VR glasses versions in current development by Apple.
This LIDAR/IR scanner is a ALSO part and parcel of the long-held-rumour that Apple is exploring the world of designing and building super-fast metal powder deposition 3D printers and super-fast plastic resin 3D printers as an entirely new product category for Apple where it has the fastest multi-head 3D printers along with the most durable and tough metal and plastic resin 3D printing "inks" around! You need really good high-resolution RGB imaging and 3D scanning for that and this rumour starts to look more and more like a very coherent internal product plan that is very forward thinking for Apple! I actually can't wait to see an Apple plastic and metal 3D printer --- After personally sampling what the Apple Vision Pro can do for AR/VR, I can DEFINITELY SEE the potential of ultra-high-quality Canon or On RGB image sensors within Apple iPhones/iPads being used for 3D-Scanning and super-fast 3D-printing!
You Heard it Here First!
V
My European Engineering Sources have told me that Apple and Sony have been having a recent technology and price disagreement about high-light-sensitivity Sony RGB image sensors not being made available at the price points Apple is looking for. Exploratory talks with BOTH On Semiconductor AND Canon have indicated a willingness to supply large and very light-sensitive RGB image sensors for super-smartphones at a minimum of 64 Megapixels (i.e. 9216 by 6912 pixels) in resolution.
A research and development contract was seen by an external 3rd party which indicated that Canon and On Semiconductor are both willing to supply such high light-sensitivity imagers to Apple at the price points needed. The current in-house rumor has Canon having the current technology/production lead over On Semiconductor due to an obvious and documented difference in the reduction of luminance and chroma noise between the Canon-supplied and On-supplied 64 megapixel one-inch-sized test image sensors during low-light conditions. Basically, it was found the Canon sensors looked much nicer on RGB output at pre-and-post sunset and sunrise light levels and during night-time street lighting photography scenarios in both still photo and video recording sessions. The new sensor offerings will be for an upcoming series of higher-end iPhone models. The exploratory talks with both image sensor suppliers were rumoured to have taken place in May 2023 with test sensors from both companies being shipped to Apple by December 2023.
I suspect Apple is trying to show Sony that it isn't kidding around and is VERY WILLING to change suppliers if it doesn't play ball with supplying low-light sensors at a good price point to Apple. Apple is large enough that even Sony is not immune to being put on notice for providing Apple a better price point or more technology-leading sub-systems!
I should also note that an American-based LIDAR/IR emitter supplier was ALSO INCLUDED in this exploratory set of talks which indicates Apple is likely going ahead with the long-rumoured high-resolution 3D-XYZ scanner that will be included in future iPad and iPhone systems used to support live 3D-XYZ object and 3D-Environment scanning during still photo and video recording sessions to be used as datasets for the Apple Vision Pro AR/VR glasses systems now available and for those future AR/VR glasses versions in current development by Apple.
This LIDAR/IR scanner is a ALSO part and parcel of the long-held-rumour that Apple is exploring the world of designing and building super-fast metal powder deposition 3D printers and super-fast plastic resin 3D printers as an entirely new product category for Apple where it has the fastest multi-head 3D printers along with the most durable and tough metal and plastic resin 3D printing "inks" around! You need really good high-resolution RGB imaging and 3D scanning for that and this rumour starts to look more and more like a very coherent internal product plan that is very forward thinking for Apple! I actually can't wait to see an Apple plastic and metal 3D printer --- After personally sampling what the Apple Vision Pro can do for AR/VR, I can DEFINITELY SEE the potential of ultra-high-quality Canon or On RGB image sensors within Apple iPhones/iPads being used for 3D-Scanning and super-fast 3D-printing!
You Heard it Here First!
V
