Credit: Light
Sony Mobile has teamed up with camera startup Light.
“Sony is the recognized quality and market share leader in image sensors and we are thrilled to partner with them,” said Dave Grannan, CEO and co-founder, Light.
“We are entering an entirely new era of intelligent imaging applications that will transform smartphones, autonomous vehicles, and security systems. With Sony’s world-class image sensors, we can introduce new innovations in the multi-camera imaging space.”
Announced earlier today, the partnership will see the two companies work together on development the and marketing of multi-image sensor solutions. According to the official press release, there are several key elements to the partnership:
- Light will now use and recommend Sony’s image sensors to its customers and partners of its computational imaging solutions and reference designs.
- The development of new reference designs that combine Light’s multi-camera technology with Sony’s image sensors to create new multi-camera applications and solutions
“We are excited to be working with Light and driving multi-sensor-based products and solutions into the market,” said Hank Ochi, president of Component Solutions Business Division, Sony Electronics Inc.
“Light and its technology are transforming how devices see the world. This new partnership will allow us to work together to evolve and speed up the design of today’s multi-image sensor enabled connected devices. Starting today, our jointly developed reference designs will help our smartphone OEMs to quickly and easily enhance the imaging capability of multi-camera enabled smartphones.”
What does this mean for consumers? The announcement specifically cites the introduction of smartphones with four or more camera lenses. So to start with it means that a Light-powered and Sony-branded smartphone is could be on the cards. More broadly, it could pave the way for Light's multi-lens smartphone camera systems to make their way onto more and more-affordable smartphones. Either way, expect the see more quad-lens smartphone cameras in the future.
Disclosure - PC World Australia's coverage of this year's MWC in Barcelona was sponsored by Oppo who covered the costs of our flights and accommodation.
