Sony Semiconductor Solutions launched the IMX9 series of CMOS image sensors aimed at premium smartphones, claiming a two-stop improvement in dynamic range over its current flagship parts. Volume shipments to handset makers begin in the third quarter, the company said.
The new sensor uses a dual-layer pixel architecture in which photodiodes and pixel transistors sit on separate silicon wafers, increasing light-collection area without enlarging the optical footprint. Sony said the design delivers a saturation signal roughly twice that of conventional 1-inch sensors used in current Android flagships.
Specifications and capabilities
The headline IMX989 successor offers 50 megapixels at full resolution and supports 8K video capture at 30 frames per second with full pixel readout, and 4K at 240 frames per second for slow-motion applications. On-chip phase-detection autofocus covers the entire sensor area, a feature previously reserved for larger camera bodies.
According to Sony, the sensor's wider dynamic range is intended to reduce reliance on multi-frame HDR stacking in computational photography pipelines. Multi-frame HDR can introduce ghosting in moving scenes and adds latency, both pain points for high-end smartphone cameras.
First customers
The first commercial device using the IMX9 is expected to be a Xiaomi flagship scheduled for autumn launch, according to component-supplier filings reviewed by industry trackers, though Xiaomi has not confirmed the pairing publicly. Oppo and Vivo are also believed to be customers for early production volumes.
Sony Semiconductor president Terushi Shimizu said image sensors remain the company's largest growth driver outside of gaming, and that smartphone-grade CMOS revenue is expected to grow at a mid-single-digit pace through 2028. The company has maintained its capital-expenditure guidance for the segment unchanged.
Manufacturing footprint
Sony is expanding its Kumamoto fabrication facility, where most of its high-end image sensors are produced, with a second building expected to come online in 2027. Some IMX9 wafers will be processed at the TSMC Kumamoto plant under an existing manufacturing partnership, the company confirmed.
The Kumamoto cluster has become a focal point of Japan's domestic semiconductor strategy, supported by subsidies from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Sony, Toyota Tsusho and TSMC are joint shareholders in the JASM venture operating the local foundry.
Competitive landscape
Samsung System LSI has narrowed the technology gap with its ISOCELL HP and HM series, and several recent Galaxy and Xiaomi models have used Samsung sensors in headline camera positions. California-based Omnivision has gained share in mid-range Chinese smartphones with cost-optimised parts.
Industry tracker TechInsights estimates Sony's share of the high-end smartphone sensor market at roughly 54% in 2025, down from 62% three years earlier. The IMX9 launch is widely seen as Sony's bid to defend that position ahead of fall flagship cycles from Apple and major Chinese brands.
Pricing
Sony declined to disclose unit pricing, saying only that the IMX9 carries a premium over the IMX989 it replaces. Industry analysts at Counterpoint Research estimate the bill-of-materials cost in the range of USD 100 to 130 per unit, depending on volume commitments and configuration.