We heard a bunch of rumors over the last couple of days that the next Nexus smartphone may contain a DigitalOptics made MEMS camera. Everyone was excited because the new tech MEMS camera offers incredibly fast auto-focus and automatically takes pictures at different focal lengths (like Lytro) automatically allowing you to chose the focus point after having taken the picture.
Now a DigitalOptics press release shatters our hopes and confirms that OPPO will be the exclusive launch partner for the MEMS camera and that the launch smartphone will be released sometime in the future.
This is one rumor I was hoping was true [about the Nexus 5] and I'm disappointed knowing that Google couldn't become launch partner.
PRESS RELEASE
"DigitalOptics Corporation (DOC(TM)), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tessera Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSRA) announced today that Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd (OPPO), a leading Chinese smartphone OEM, has placed the first mems|cam(TM) volume production purchase order.
The mems|cam module provides speed, power, and precision advantages compared to VCM (voice coil motor) camera modules and enables highly differentiated features when coupled with DOC's world-class software.
"We are proud to announce that OPPO and DOC are exclusive launch partners. OPPO will be the first smartphone OEM to incorporate mems|cam products in volume," stated John Thode, president of DigitalOptics Corporation. "OPPO has an excellent premium brand in China as demonstrated by the September 23 launch of the innovative N1 Smartphone platform. Integrating mems|cam modules into OPPO's best-in-class smartphones will bring an exciting computational imaging user experience that further delivers on OPPO's brand promise."
There has been speculation on who would be the first to bring the significant benefits of mems|cam to the mobile imaging market. Last week, several technology news blogs reported that mems|cam was first being brought to market in another smartphone platform. Those reports were inaccurate."