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Sony Boosts 3D Camera Output After Interest From Phone Makers (bloomberg.com)

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the shape-of-things-to-come dept.

Sony, the biggest maker of camera chips used in smartphones, is boosting production of next-generation 3D sensors after getting interest from customers including Apple. From a report: The chips will power front- and rear-facing 3D cameras of models from several smartphone makers in 2019, with Sony kicking off mass production in late summer to meet demand, according to Satoshi Yoshihara, head of Sony's sensor division. Sony's bullish outlook for 3D cameras provides much needed optimism to the global smartphone industry, which is suffering a slowdown as consumers find fewer reasons to upgrade devices. The Tokyo-based company has started providing software toolkits to outside developers so they can experiment with the chips and create apps that generate models of faces for communication or virtual objects for online shopping. "Cameras revolutionized phones, and based on what I've seen, I have the same expectation for 3D," said Yoshihara, who has worked for more than a decade on wider industry adoption of cameras in smartphones. "The pace will vary by field, but we're definitely going to see adoption of 3D. I'm certain of it."

6 of 56 comments (clear)

  1. Consumer demand? by alvinrod · · Score: 2

    I know that phone manufacturers are adding this so that they've got some new gimmick to sell, but is there any consumer demand for this? I honestly wasn't even aware that this was something that phones could do, and I'm not particular sure that I care.

    Does anyone with a newer device use this and if so, for what?

    1. Re:Consumer demand? by Desler · · Score: 2

      Considering how 3DTVs failed spectacularly and VR is a niche market within a niche market, it's hardly just them who don't want or need either. The vast majority of consumers have said no thanks.

    2. Re:Consumer demand? by Desler · · Score: 2

      Hey look. We found the one person in the world who still cares about 3DTVs.

    3. Re:Consumer demand? by markdavis · · Score: 2

      >"I owned an Evo 3D and liked it a lot. I also have a VR headset. I'm the target market for this. Note: the Evo 3D did not require any hardware to view in 3D on the device."

      I, too, had a 3D Evo. It was neat how it worked, especially with the no-glasses-needed-screen. But for my own uses, I thought it was more of a novelty than something useful. Please keep in mind that I very much enjoy 3D- I have lots of 3D blurays and a 3D TV, and go to 3D movies in the theater. When done right, it can add another great aspect to movie story-telling. So if even I can say it probably isn't that big a deal in a phone, it is likely to be too gimmicky to most others out there.

      I will laugh, however, when it comes to the "iPhone" and Apple and it's users claim they invented that idea, too.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    4. Re:Consumer demand? by alvinrod · · Score: 2

      I'm not saying that I don't need it and therefore no one does. I even said I wasn't aware that phones had this capability. Maybe this is something that I do need or at least might want. I just can't envision what this technology might be useful for and was asking if anyone was using this or had some particular use case in mind.

  2. Not only for 3D by jeromef · · Score: 2

    Note that 3D sensors are not used only to produce traditional 3D scenes. They are quite useful for biometric authentication and DOF tricks (add blurry background to pictures).