Apple Reportedly Developing Its Own Custom Image Sensor for iPhone

Apple is moving guardant with plans to bring a caller benignant of representation sensor with dynamic scope levels approaching that of the quality oculus to aboriginal iPhones, according to a Weibo leaker.


Last month, Apple filed a patent titled "Image Sensor With Stacked Pixels Having High Dynamic Range And Low Noise." It described an precocious sensor architecture that combines stacked silicon, aggregate levels of airy capture, and on-chip sound suppression mechanisms to scope up to 20 stops of dynamic range.

For comparison, the dynamic scope of the quality oculus is estimated to beryllium astir 20 to 30 stops, depending connected however the pupil adjusts and however airy is processed implicit time. Most smartphone cameras contiguous seizure betwixt 10 and 13 stops. If Apple's projected sensor reaches its potential, it would not lone surpass existent iPhones but besides outperform galore nonrecreational cinema cameras, specified arsenic the ARRI ALEXA 35.

The patent outlined a stacked sensor plan made up of 2 layers. The apical layer, called the sensor die, contains the parts that seizure light. The furniture underneath, the logic die, handles processing, including sound simplification and vulnerability control.

One of the astir important parts of the sensor plan is simply a strategy called a Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor (LOFIC). This allows each pixel successful the sensor to store antithetic amounts of airy depending connected however agleam the country is, each successful the aforesaid image. With this, the sensor tin grip highly wide lighting differences, specified arsenic a idiosyncratic lasting successful beforehand of a agleam window, without losing item successful the shadows oregon highlights.

Another portion of the plan focuses connected reducing representation sound and grain. Each pixel has its ain built-in representation circuit that measures and cancels retired heat-related physics sound successful existent time. This is done connected the spot itself, earlier the representation is saved oregon edited by software.

According to the Weibo leaker known arsenic "Fixed Focus Digital," the task is much than simply a patent filing astatine Apple. The institution has reportedly already developed the sensor and could present beryllium investigating it successful developmental hardware, suggesting that determination are plans to bring it to a user instrumentality successful the future.

Currently, Apple uses sensors made by Sony crossed the iPhone lineup. Those sensors besides usage a two-layer design, but Apple's projected mentation includes respective archetypal features and takes up little space. Crucially, Apple transitioning to its ain sensors would springiness it implicit power implicit the representation pipeline and travel akin moves distant from utilizing hardware from companies similar Intel and Qualcomm successful favour of its ain customized technology.
This article, "Apple Reportedly Developing Its Own Custom Image Sensor for iPhone" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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