
Intel Buys Tower Semiconductor for $5.4B, Enters Image Sensor Business
Intel has announced that it will purchase camera sensor manufacturer Tower Semiconductor (formerly TowerJazz as of March, 2020) in a deal worth $5.4 billion.
Intel has announced that it will purchase camera sensor manufacturer Tower Semiconductor (formerly TowerJazz as of March, 2020) in a deal worth $5.4 billion.
A lot of words have been written and exchanged about the difference between -- and possible advantages or disadvantages of -- CCD (charged-couple device) and CMOS (metal oxide semiconductor + active-pixel sensor) camera sensors. What really is the difference between them?
In at least one region of Canon's massive global empire, the company has begun listing its sensors for sale to other companies, following in Sony's footsteps.
Canon has patented a new sensor design that mimics the design of backside-illuminated (BSI) sensors made by Sony. Mixing Dual Pixel with BSI would likely result in huge leaps in low light performance, dynamic range, and readout speeds.
Samsung Electronics is reportedly in a position to challenge Sony's imaging sensor dominance. Sony had prioritized the supply of image sensors to Huawei, a strategy that has backfired; Samsung is apparently ready to take advantage.
After a Nikkei report (and, later, an official press release) revealed that Panasonic would officially be selling off its semiconductor business, many people wondered what would happen to the joint venture with TowerJazz that constituted Panasonic's image sensor business. Now we know.