Sony may sell its smartphone camera business

Sony, the world’s largest camera sensor maker with a market share of about 45%, may lose its controlling stake in the business. According to Bloomberg, the company is considering the option of separating the division into a separate legal entity – Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp – with its subsequent listing on the stock exchange.

Despite its leadership over Samsung (19%) and OmniVision (11%), Sony’s division’s profitability has fallen from 25% to 10% in a few years. The main reason is the decline in demand for smartphones, where Sony’s sensors have traditionally held dominant positions. In the event of an unstable market, the company is reviewing its long-term strategy.

The business valuation fluctuates between $35-49 billion. The plan assumes that Sony will retain a minority stake in the new structure, but a final decision has not yet been made. Global economic risks, in particular the US tariff policy, which is already affecting the semiconductor industry, may hinder. An announcement of the company’s intentions is expected by the end of the year.

Sony Semiconductor Solutions has introduced a new 50-megapixel CMOS sensor for smartphones under the LYTIA brand, called the LYT-818. This sensor is equipped with a 1/1.28-inch sensor and features advanced noise reduction technologies and a wide dynamic range.

One of the key features of the sensor is the Ultra High Gain (UHCG) circuit, which allows you to take clearer photos in low light, reducing the noise level to 0.95 e – a record among Sony mobile sensors.

HDR technology in the LYT-818 helps capture details in bright and dark areas of the frame. The sensor takes a single shot with three different settings, allowing you to balance the light and shadows in the image. The sensor also features reduced power consumption, allowing HDR to work continuously in real time, for example, when viewing photos on a smartphone screen.

Additional features of the sensor include a 1.22 μm pixel size, Quad Bayer Coding color filter, and support for 4K video recording at up to 120 frames per second. The LYT-818 supports analog, digital, and MIPI interfaces.

The LYT-818 will begin mass production in September 2024, and the first smartphone to feature this sensor is rumored to be the vivo X200 Pro.