Himax Technologies, Inc. (Himax), a Taiwan based semiconductor manufacturer, has introduced new 3-mega-pixel, 2-mega-pixel and VGA complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors. The company will commence small-scale commercial shipments to cell phone camera module manufacturers. The new CMOS image sensor was developed under Himax Imaging, Inc. (Himax Imaging), a wholly owned subsidiary of Himax.

The company expects the product segment to incline in the second half of 2009. Established from scratch in March 2007.

In less than two years since inception, Himax Imaging has developed and launched CMOS image sensor products with pixel-size and product performance comparable to the world’s leading players. Himax Imaging’s proprietary UltraBright technology delivers superior signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in lowlight and video modes without decreasing frame rate or increasing power consumption. The ClearVision technology enhances the sensor’s dynamic range that reveals more details in high-contrast scenes.

Jordan Wu, president and chief executive officer of Himax, commented, “We believe the CMOS image sensor technology will be applied to numerous applications, many of which may be beyond today’s imagination. We chose to start with cell phone and laptop camera applications because Himax has a strong customer base and complementary display product ingenuity, thanks to our leading position in LCD drivers and LCOS-based pico projector products. In 2009, which will be the first year of mass production in this new product line, our efforts will be primarily customer design-wins and broadening our product portfolio. We expect the CMOS image sensor product line to be one of the major growth engines for Himax in the long run.”