16MP Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot S006 phone poses at the FCC

We spotted the first phone with Sony Ericsson's new and improved Exmor R camera sensors at the FCC. The Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot S006 is a 16MP cameraphone, which is destined for the Spring lineup of the Japanese carrier KDDI. The carrier has US presence as an MVNO, and is roaming on the Sprint network, so at least in theory the phone should be compatible.

Other notable features of the Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot S006 are a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a 3.3-inch screen, and all the usual connectivity options - WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS, but no smartphone OS. The camera is what matters here - the new Exmor R sensors are back-illuminated, which helps in low light situations, with ISO settings up to as high as ISO 12800. The sensor size is still smaller at 1/2.8" than the one on the Nokia N8, which, at 1/1.83", is the biggest camera sensor on a phone so far, so don't be fooled by the megapixel count.

Below are some sample shots with Sony's Exmor R camera sensors. Oh, did we forget to tell you the Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot S006 is waterproof? Our bad, it goes without saying, as we couldn't spot a single phone in KDDI's winter and Spring lineups that is not. Interestingly, the unit at the FCC is black, whereas the only colors listed for the phone at KDDI are golden, pink and blue.

source: FCC & KDDI