A camera phone is a cellphone which has a camera built in. The world's first camera phone was the J-SH04 made by Sharp Corporation and put on market from J-Phone (Vodafone) in Japan in November 2000. The cameras typically use CMOS image sensors. This is due largely to reduced power consumption compared to CCD type cameras, which are also used. The lower power consumption prevents the camera from quickly depleting the phone's battery.
Major manufacturers include Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, and LG Electronics. As of 2004, the resolution in Japan is typically in the megapixel range such as 2 megapixels, in Europe 0.3 megapixels (VGA) is most common. In 2004, 60% percent of mobile phones in Japan have built-in cameras, and this is expected to rise in 2005. Previously, the highest resolution available was 7 megapixels on the Samsung SCH-V770. This has since been replaced as Samsung Electronics unveiled the world's first 8.0 megapixel camera phone, the WCDMA SPH-V8200.
As a network-connected device, megapixel camera phones are starting to play significant roles such as crime prevention, journalism and business applications as well as individual uses. On the other hand, they are prone to abuse such as voyeurism and invasion of privacy.
Some organizations and places have started to ban camera phones because of the
privacy and security issues they raise. Such places would include The Pentagon,
schools or local fitness clubs. One country, Saudi Arabia, has banned the sale
of camera phones nationwide (although pilgrims on the Hajj are allowed to bring
in camera phones). Another, South Korea, requires that all camera phones sold in
the country make a clearly audible sound whenever a picture is taken. In
Singapore camera phones are banned at companies or facilities that have an
association with national security. In Europe, some BDSM conventions and play
parties ban cellphones altogether to ensure the prevention of camera phone
abuse.
Motorola V710 (Camera Phone)
Camera equipped mobile phones have been linked to industrial espionage and
paparazzi activity. During much of 2004, a black hat hacker named Nicolas
Jacobsen had illegal access to the backbone of T-Online USA mobile network.
Besides stealing classified US Secret Service documents and selling them on IRC,
he amused himself and friends by finding out celebrity phone numbers (including
that of Paris Hilton, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher). Then he siphoned off
recently made photos from their handsets and circulated some of the pictures.
Some newer camera phones are also videophones, and
can transmit videos and videocalls. Camera phone video and photographs taken in
the immediate aftermath of the 2005 London bombings was featured worldwide. CNN
executive Jonathan Klein predicts camera phone footage will be increasingly used
by news organizations.
Anecdote on the idea behind the technology
According to a developer in the mobile phone industry, the camera phone was
developed for working professionals who wanted to keep an image of their
children with them wherever they went and as they worked. The user interface was
designed to be simple so that housewives and children could also use the
feature. As a consideration as to the quality of image reproduction, the
engineers felt that it was important to have the child's photograph displayed on
the cellphone as finely as possible.
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