On January 27, Toshiba announced that it would start mass production of its latest series of VGA camera modules in May. The new modules use a VGA-resolution CMOS sensor with a 1/6-inch optical format, and Toshiba claims that power consumption has been reduced to a third of its current offerings. When asked why Toshiba would release a new VGA sensor rather than a 1.3-megapixel model, the company responded that, since introducing its first VGA resolution camera modules in 1997, market demand has given priority to miniaturization rather than pixel counts. Toshiba believes that a combination of miniaturization with more pixel counts will remain the key for CMOS sensors and it aims to be first to the market with a range of such solutions for both the VGA and megapixel markets. Toshiba will start shipping samples of a new 1.3-megapixel camera module in the spring. Read on at DigiTimes