Sony Semiconductor Solutions (SSS) announces a new image sensor product brand for mobile devices titled LYTIA. That will allow Sony to ‘mark’ its high-end image mobile sensors on other smartphone manufacturers.

LYTIA: Marking the high-end mobile sensors

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (SSS) announced the introduction of LYTIA — a new product brand for the image sensors that SSS makes for mobile devices. As tested by Sony: “With LYTIA brand image sensors, SSS aims to build on its history of contributing to smartphone photography and videography culture by giving even more people access to creative imaging experiences ‘beyond imagination”.

History began in the 1970s

Sony started the development of CCD image sensors, “Electronic eyes,” in the 1970s, and commercialized them ahead of the world in the 1980s. Subsequently, too, Sony continued to run at the cutting edge in this field. It was 2004 when Sony made a big turn towards the development of the fast, low-power consuming CMOS image sensors, with an eye on the high definition (HD) future. Since then, the company has created high-performance CMOS image sensors incorporating new technology one after the other and continues to lead the image sensor world at present too”.  

Why brand Sony’s mobile sensors?

That’s how Sony explains the background to the launch of the LYTIA brand: “SSS has been providing the world with image sensors for mobile devices since 2003. These image sensors serve as the “eyes” of smartphones and other mobile devices. SSS currently holds the number-one sales value market share for these sensors. SSS’s image sensors deliver high quality and are packed with advanced technology to enable users to enjoy high-quality photography and videography on many smartphones. SSS has won support from many customers including smartphone manufacturers, and, by extension, has benefited smartphone users throughout the world. The particular contributions of SSS’s image sensors to smartphone photography and videography experiences, however, are not yet widely known”. Hence, to address this, SSS has decided to introduce the LYTIA brand to convey the worldview and value that its mobile image sensors provide to the world. The brand will make it easy for people to understand these benefits and position SSS’s image sensors as the product of choice for smartphone users around the world. And that’s how LYTIA was born.

The new IMX?

LYTIA is a product brand for image sensors made for mobile devices. These products are planned, manufactured, and sold by SSS. As Sony states: “While continuing to work closely with smartphone manufacturers, SSS will make the most of the LYTIA brand to communicate the value and benefit of its image sensors to smartphone users worldwide”. Furthermore, as defined by Sony: “LYTIA image sensors are designed to enable smartphone users to express and share emotions more freely. They deliver high-quality photography and videography powered by a diverse array of leading-edge technologies”. Thus, the brand LYTIA is not supposed to replace IMX, since LYTIA focuses on mobile devices. So from now on, expect to explore the brand name LYTIA on smartphones from various mobile manufacturers. Here’s the commercial for the LYTIA brand:

BTW, the irony is that at the end of the video, Sony mentions that all images and videos have been shot with professional cameras (not equipped with LYTIA sensors).

Closing thoughts

It seems that everything focuses on mobile these days. For instance, read our article: Smartphone + Large Sensor + Lens Mount = The Future of Mobile Cinematography, which demonstrates the power and potential of mobile devices even regarding professional videography. Sony understands the importance of high-end image sensors for mobile devices, and that’s the main reason for branding it specifically.