Sony set to double image sensor production

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/gadgets/digital-cameras/images/sonycybershotdscw200e-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>Sony is set to double its output of image sensors in 2011, investing a cool $1.2 billion in a planned expansion next year.</P><br /><P>Sony clearly expects the demand for smartphone cameras and digital cameras and camcorders to continue to grow rapidly throughout 2011.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Japanese government subsidies</STRONG></P><br /><P>Sony Corp's internal investment of $1.2 billion in image sensors also includes a deal to buy back a semiconductor production line from Toshiba Corp, costing around $600 million.</P><br /><P>Sony will make use of part of the factory in Nagasaki, southern Japan, for the production of CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) sensors and the development of new wafer processing equipment for CMOS image sensors.</P><br /><P>The consumer electronics giant will make use of Japanese government subsidies to assist environmentally friendly businesses. </P><br /><P>However, it is not yet clear exactly how much money Sony will receive from the Japanese government for its planned expansion.</P><br /><P>Sony clearly has ambitions to catch-up with and overtake digital camera market leader Canon, with the objective to quickly ramp up total production of image sensors, including CCD and CMOS sensors, to 50,000 units a month by March 2012.</P><br /><P><a href="http://www.techradar.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</A></P>

Sony set to double image sensor production

Sony is set to double its output of image sensors in 2011, investing a cool $1.2 billion in a planned expansion next year. Sony clearly expe...

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