SUNNYVALE, Calif. — October 2, 2006 — OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OVTI), a leading independent supplier of CMOS CameraChip™ image sensors for high-volume applications, today announced that it has reached an important development milestone for its Wavefront Coding™ technology. The Company shipped its first sample incorporating the revolutionary technology that it has been developing since its acquisition of CDM Optics, a wholly owned subsidiary. This shipment of the first sample is a result of incorporating the overwhelmingly positive feedback that the Company has received from multiple handset customers for whom OmniVision has demonstrated the product. The Company plans to continue to work with selected customers to further refine the product performance before finalizing the precise specifications of the first product based on this new technology.
Wavefront Coding technology significantly increases the performance of an imaging system by substantially increasing the depth of field of the image and/or correcting optical aberrations within the image. Wavefront Coding technology eliminates the need for a conventional focusing system, and because the image is always in focus, a Wavefront Coding enabled camera also eliminates the time-delay inherent in conventional auto or manually focused camera systems. More information on Wavefront Coding may be found at the CDM Optics web-site, www.cdmoptics.com.
Safe-Harbor Language
Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the performance, achievements and capabilities of Wavefront Coding technology, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties, which could cause the forward-looking statements and OmniVision’s results to differ materially, include, without limitation: potential errors, design flaws or other problems with Wavefront Coding technology; risks associated with building customer acceptance of and demand for Wavefront Coding technology; the development of the market for sensors incorporating Wavefront Coding technology in the camera phone market as well as in markets for other portable applications incorporating image sensors; the rapid changes in technical requirements for camera phone products; competitive risks; as well as other risks detailed from time to time in OmniVision’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, but not limited to, OmniVision’s most recent annual report filed on Form 10-K and quarterly report filed on form 10-Q. OmniVision expressly disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.