Samsung, MediaTek invest in dual-lens camera startup
The equity funding round was led by MizMaa Ventures Ltd and Beijing Singularity Power Investment Management Co. Ltd. and brings the amount invested in CorePhotonics to more than $50 million.
CorePhotonics has pioneered the use of dual image sensors for smartphones with sensor fusion of the results to produce superior pictures and its Hawkeye camera uses prisms to fold the light path parallel with the surface of the smartphone. This can improve photographic quality while allowing thinner mobile phones in line with the dictates of fashion. It enables stills photography with optical zoom of up to 3x and up to 8x zoom in video, even in low light conditions.
Apple introduced a dual-lens camera on its iPhone 7 plus designed to produce telephoto zoom and depth of field features having bought Israeli startup LinX Computational Imaging Ltd. for about $20 million in 2015 (see Apple heralds dawn of dual lens camera and Apple buys array camera firm LinX).
CorePhotonics observed that more than half of the advanced smartphones announced during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last week were equipped dual main cameras.
The money raised – together with cash on hand and revenue forecast for 2017 – will be used for developing next-generation cameras for smartphones, and for sales. In addition, it will help with expansion into automotive, drone, surveillance and action camera markets.
Next: Recruiting engineers
CorePhotonics said it intends to recruit dozens of additional engineers in Tel Aviv as well as support and integration engineers in China and South Korea, to add to its present contigent of about 50 employees. The company added that it is also looking to acquire complementary technologies.
CorePhotonics was founded in 2012 by Professor David Mendlovic of Tel Aviv University, a former chief scientist of the Ministry of Science and today the company’s CEO; Gal Shabtay, who serves as vice president of R&D; and Eran Kali, vice president of licensing.
“We successfully predicted the use of dual cameras, and we currently see such cameras being integrated into a broad range of smartphones by all leading manufacturers,” said Mendlovic, in a statement. “We are pleased that top tier investors have expressed confidence in our capabilities, allowing us to develop next generation camera technologies, which will reach the market within the next few years,” he added.
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Apple heralds dawn of dual lens camera
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