Sony introduced its latest CMOS image sensor for smartphones. It is called IMX586 and has 48 megapixels, each of them only 0.8 μm in size, stacked onto a 1/2-type unit. It will begin arriving at smartphones as early as September 2018.
Sony said in a press release the increased pixel count will enable high-quality photos even when devices are using digital zoom. The IMX586 implements the Quad Bayer 2×2 pixel array. This means on most occasions it will bin four pixels together outputting the equivalent of 12MP sensor with large 1.6 μm pixels.
For bright low-noise photos…