apple interested in sony's 3d camera sensor technology, report says

Apple has expressed interest 3D camera sensors produced by existing Sony, hardware that utilizes time of flight technology instead of the structured light solution deployed iPhone and iPad's TrueDepth camera system...   Satoshi Yoshihara, in charge of sensors at Sony, said the company plans to start production of its 3D chips next summer to meet demand from several smartphone makers..   Apple's existing 3D, TrueDepth, uses vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser to project structured light, onto subject.   By measuring deviations and distortions in the grid, the system is able to generate 3D maps that is in this case used for biometric authentication..   By measuring the time it takes pulses of light to travel to and from target surface, Sony's technology, on the other hand, is time of flight system that creates depth maps.   Rumors of Apple's interest TOF solutions is well documented, though today's report is the first to attach Sony to production plans.   In June 2017, Apple was evaluating TOF for camera that would in augmented reality applications and faster, more accurate autofocus operation..   Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo September said the company is to integrate the in iPhone model.   We believe that iPhone's dual-camera can simulate and offer enough distance information necessary for photo-taking it's therefore unnecessary for 2H19 new iPhone models to be equipped with ToF, Kuo says..   Along with Sony, Infineon, Panasonic and STMicroelectronics are also developing 3D chips based on TOF technology...   Read more