Samsung Galaxy S3 teardown shows iPhone 4S camera sensor

By Joe Svetlik on 2 June 2012, 10:30am

That screwdriver-happy lot over at iFixit have cracked into Samsung's Galaxy S3. And what's this they've found hanging about looking shifty? Why, it's the same Sony backside-illuminated CMOS sensor as seen in the Sony Xperia Arc and iPhone 4S. Hi there!

As expected, the 3.8V, 2,100mAh battery is present and correct, as you can see from the host of pictures that accompany the teardown. Really, this S3 has lost all its dignity.

Once the motherboard has been removed from the inner framework, you can see the inner support frame. (It's probably magnesium, but there's no concrete proof.) Then there's a chip that's not attached to the motherboard, that translates touch inputs into zeroes and ones.

For the really hardcore parts, the iFixit boys hand the reins to the chaps at Chipworks. I won't go into the chips, but suffice to say there's a quick rundown of them all. Then comes news that the 4.8-inch pane of glass is fused to the display, and the display to the S3's frame, so it's effectively one block.

And the Sony BSI sensor is the same as found in the iPhone 4S. A CMOS sensor, it'll help with low-light shots, so handy for those after-hours snaps you thought were a good idea at the time.

The S3 went on sale last week, though there's a shortage of blue models in the UK -- for the next couple of weeks, anyway. Head down to Tesco, and you could pick it up for half price too. Or you could go to a Samsung PIN pop-up store, whatever floats your boat. The S3 fared very well in our tests, with the battery proving particularly impressive.

Have you picked up the S3? What do you make of it? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.

Comments 22

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anonymous 2 June, 2012 11:18

Why the loosing dignity comment is coming up?
stupid apple uses many components supplied by samsung and still doesnt allows you the benefit of uncontrolled bluetooth and other such features.
Going by this.. if anything, iphone prolly lost every single ounce of honor by supplying user replacaeable batteries in the revised models.

Samsung presented a beast of a phone and its a winner. Only gripe is the mediocre designing for such a flagship model.

anonymous 2 June, 2012 11:45

Agree with the person above, there is no word of dignity here. Apple uses samsung parts, whats with that then? Cmon, CNET has better writers :|

anonymous 2 June, 2012 11:52

I think by writing that the phone is losing its dignity, he's saying the phone is 'exposed'. Calm down...

Choccie Milk 2 June, 2012 12:41

I agree with the comment above. It's obvious they're talking about losing dignity because the phone's been laid bare and exposed. To think it's a critisizm of Samsung for using the same sensor is rather paranoid.

anonymous 2 June, 2012 13:38

This morning I received an email from CFW that my BLUE S3 has been dispatched. Probably be delivered next Wednesday I'm guessing, the courier doesn't deliver on Saturdays.

anonymous 2 June, 2012 16:46

who is the idiot that wrote this article ?

anonymous 2 June, 2012 23:24

Why do people hate on the s3 so much?

anonymous 2 June, 2012 23:43

Joe Svetlik wrote this from an iphone point of view, he believes apple created the wheel as well as everything inside the 4s, not sony or samsung,

anonymous 3 June, 2012 01:37

Imagine an apple locked in a cage. Imagine a robot free to do whatever it wants with no limits . Now decide what you would prefer to watch.

Dean Shepherd 3 June, 2012 01:44

I'm sorry I gotta agree with Choccie Milk and the Anon above Choccie..

The "loss of dignity" was due to "this" S3 being stripped down to nothing....the article even states "This S3" as in, referring to the poor thing in the picture lol

I do love watching the banter between iPhone users and Android fanboys...but sometimes its just plain silly when its just because neither party can properly read an article.

And yes I'm aware that often some articles (especially on Cnet as of late) seem to be a little apple biased...but seriously..can people least read the articles properly before jumping into the comment section and acting like 11 year olds having a p**sing contest..

anonymous 3 June, 2012 03:48

Since when is such a flaming bias acceptable in your field?

Nevermind mind the fact that the iPhone 4 and the new iPad both sport SCREENS that Samsung made. The iPhone 5 will likely also sport a Samsung super-AMOLED "retina display"-

Get your mac bias off the air before you make sheeple of everyone.

anonymous 4 June, 2012 08:33

The S3 looks like an amazing phone. CNET should stop slandering Samsung all the time as they make their OWN components and MANUFACTURE for Apple (even though I OWN an iPhone, I am looking at both ends of the story).

So what if a phone used the same chip as another, all phones have the same parts of other phones. Say sorry to Samsung now!!

Herman Van Der Blom 4 June, 2012 16:59

Ha ha ha, I have a Lumia 800. Only one CPU, ClearBlack screen is really black :-) Just I am very happy with it. Its a Functional Phone. As times pass by, people will recognize this. The highest scores are for the WP7 Phones. They are not "trolled" but really true. WP7 does not have so many apps? Thats a Pro++++. If IOS/Android require a change from cluttered to integrated design I wonder how they will do that without breaking with existing apps-base. People will recognize if they want to upload a picture they dont want to search in a "directory" but immediately point to the place where they are, thats functional :-) versus techie-bull.

anonymous 5 June, 2012 14:17

why is it such an issue over wot phone you get i got an upgrade yesterday to the iphone 4s i was going to get the galaxy s3 but due to the blue's getting recalled and the whites look horrible and having to wait a month for the blues to be in stock i thought sod it il just get the iphone 4s so samsung lost my custom + i don't trust products that have to be recalled whether their superior to other products or not. The iphone 4s does the same thing practically and really all you need is to be able call and text. If your only buying your phone because you want all the little gizmo's on it then i think your sad and personally yea i do like some app's don't get me wrong but all the arguing over what poxy phone you own is pathetic technology is now running your lives step back and get a grip... lol now my rants over il be on my way :)

anonymous 6 June, 2012 23:07

So anonymous 5 June, 2012 14:17, if a phone is just to call and text then buy a Nokia outright for $50 and have 5 days standby and amazing reception and call quality. Just admit you are like the rest of us and like expensive shiny toys whoever makes them.

anonymous 7 June, 2012 15:11

That's a really, really misleading headline as it implies that the S3 uses parts from Apple. It should read 'S3 uses same camera sensor as i4s'.

Actually being as the i4s is recognised as being one of the better cameraphones on the market, surely this should be a cause for praise for Samsung?

anonymous 8 June, 2012 10:40

Agree with anonymous 7 June, 2012 15:11 bout the camera, i've seen some reviews for the cameras and so far i4s is the best out there for a phone ofc, as for the dignity the phone lost, i guess its bout the phone in the pic not the whole line of phones. About the other parts, its well known Apple uses parts from sony and samsung, they dont have a branch of screens / cameras makers themselves last i checked, correct me if im wrong thou.

anonymous 9 June, 2012 18:10

Mr Svetlik is clearly another Apple "fanboy". Well done in writing this one sided half assed article. Why don't you guys tear apart iPhone 4S? Let's see what components are originally from Apple?

anonymous 10 June, 2012 00:04

Since Steve Jobs first became ill and the ultimate loss him, it is so apparent that, without his guidance, Apple bosses will be complaining of the oxygen breathed by Samsung employees and it's manufacturing processes.

Apple turned into a corporate mess when Steve Jobs left Apple the first time around, and, we can all see the process has well and truly started again with the parasitic infestations of paranoia and the lack of technological confidence in their future.

Apple need to go back to basics, stop using their rivals'components and designing and making their own. Then, it will be a playing field where they will have to compete.

Bravo Samsung!

anonymous 3 July, 2012 04:16

Apple has been using Samsung parts when steve jobs was alive your point is? The fact that you are all mad that apple bought this sensor first and that Samsung waited till the s3 should tell you something? they are selling you old technology inside of a new phone well no that much old but it's a new phone why not make a new better sensor but it falls back to if it ain't broke don't fix it. Apple will always be better android is so vulnerable compared to apple android needs antivirus software apple doesn't it all depends how how good you are with technology because cant no android customer tell me my galaxy can do this and your iPhone can't it I can say my iPhone can do this your galaxy wish it could lmaooooo APPLE RULES ALLL