OmniVision's Production Issues Diverting iPhone Image Sensor Orders to Sony?

Last month, a report claimed that both existing supplier OmniVision Technologies and newcomer Sony had been lined up to produce 8-megapixel image sensors for the next-generation iPhone, with OmniVision said to be set to shoulder 90% of the load.

But Forbes today shares a report from FBR Capital Markets analyst Craig Berger, who claims that OmniVision has run into production troubles that may have caused the company to miss Apple's deadline for commercial-scale production of the sensors. As a result, Apple may have decided to shift the majority of production over to Sony.

Berger writes that he still expects the next iPhone - which he and others call the iPhone 4S - to have an 8 MP camera, but adds that "OmniVision may be having technical difficulties with its new CMOS sensor, possibly risking its iPhone socket supplier status."

The analyst adds his contacts says OmniVision "may have missed Apple's commercial production deadline," losing its lead supplier status for the image sensor to Sony.

The report notes that the image sensor chips are manufactured under contract by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which is experiencing unacceptably low yields on the chips.

OmniVision's stock is currently down about 4% after having been down as much 10% following the release of the report.