Mobile phone cameras, no matter how many megapixels they have still tend not to be as good as a regular digital camera. I've actually only seen one camera phone that actually takes quite nice shots (the 8 megapixel LG Renoir). Others just make do although some are obviously better than others.
The InVisage Technologies QuantumFilm chipset aims to sort that problem out by using quantum dots that can absorb about 90 - 95% of the light that hits the sensor allowing for better quality images in varying light conditions with pictures being captured up to 12 megapixels in size. Compare that 90 - 95% to a regular mobile phone camera sensor (which gets about 20% at most) you potentially have a great camera.
The company creating the new chip say that the progress being made should potentially allow mobile phone camera users to ditch their cameras due to the amount of sharpness and image quality they have in varying light conditions.
It is expected that the QuantumFilm chips will make it in to mobile phones sometimes next year if InVisage Technologies get the price right for phone manufacturers (ie, they can build them cheap enough to be an attractive option).
We'll post more details later on this year when we will hopefully hear more from the startup.
