Toshiba Launches Industry’s Smallest 8MP CMOS Sensor

Acouple of days back, Toshiba announced the world’s smallest 8MP CMOS sensor with 1.12 micrometer pixel size. Even with this size, it still manages to capture great quality, thanks to the back side illumination (BSI) technology, similar to the sensor currently being used in the iPhone 4. The smallest one yet Packing 8MP into a sensor that small would usually mean degradation in image quality due to the way in which the lens are packed which limits light absorption. Positioning the lens in the rear, boosts light sensitivity and allows finer image pixels in a smaller CMOS sensor. Toshiba have managed to pack in 8.08 million pixels in to a ¼-inch sensor.  This will most likely be used in upcoming mobile phones and tablets, but it could very well be used for compact cameras, as well. The new sensor will go into mass production from the end of 2011, so it doesn’t seem like the iPhone 5 would be packing one of these, or would it?