Sony has had the unique manufacturing contract for iPhone digicam sensors for greater than a decade, however Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo final yr recommended this could be altering with the iPhone 18. This has now been backed by two additional reviews, one in every of which supplies somewhat extra element.
Samsung is claimed to be engaged on a 3-layer stacked digicam sensor for Apple, which ought to enhance the efficiency of future iPhone cameras. Replace: Digitimes now backs the report …
Sony’s iPhone digicam sensors
Sony has for years made essentially the most superior smartphone digicam sensors, and it’s been no secret that they’ve lengthy made all the sensors utilized in iPhones.
If teardowns revealing identified Sony mannequin numbers weren’t enough proof, Apple CEO Tim Prepare dinner made it clear a few years in the past, tweeting a few go to he made to Sony’s digicam sensor facility in Kumamoto.
We’ve been partnering with Sony for over a decade to create the world’s main digicam sensors for iPhone. Due to Ken and everybody on the group for displaying me across the cutting-edge facility in Kumamoto immediately.
However Samsung might make one for the iPhone 18
Nonetheless, Kuo mentioned final summer season that Samsung was anticipated to make a minimum of one of many sensors for the iPhone 18 in 2026.
Samsung is anticipated to start transport 1/2.6-inch 48MP ultra-wide CMOS picture sensors (CIS) to Apple for iPhones as early as 2026, breaking Sony’s years-long monopoly on supplying CIS to Apple. To this finish, Samsung has established a devoted group to serve Apple.
Leaker Jukanlosreve, who largely posts Samsung content material, echoes this view, and claims to have some specifics concerning the sensor.
Unique: Samsung is presently growing a “3-layer stacked” picture sensor in a PD-TR-Logic configuration for Apple. This sensor is extra superior than Sony’s present Exmor RS, and I imagine it can’t be dominated out as a possible candidate for the principle sensor.
A stacked sensor is the place the processing electronics are mounted on to the again of the sensor, and a three-layer model would have extra of the circuitry connected to the sensor, which ought to end in elevated sign processing speeds. This could enhance the responsiveness of the digicam.
Stacked sensors even have the potential to remove some sources of noise, boosting picture high quality.
Individually, Jukanlosreve says Samsung is engaged on a 500MP sensor for its personal smartphones. Whereas this sounds ridiculous, it’s according to the corporate chasing impressive-sounding megapixel numbers even when the tip result’s far noisier photographs.
9to5Mac’s Take
A pair of reviews continues to be comparatively slim proof for what can be a reasonably vital change to Apple’s provide chain, however there isn’t a doubt that Samsung has been working exhausting to attempt to win the iPhone maker’s enterprise.
Moreover, Apple prefers to have a couple of provider for main parts, each for contingency planning and to enhance its negotiating energy. So even when Apple continues to make use of Sony sensors, it’s completely credible that it will search to supply some from Samsung too.
Whereas the report suggests the brand new sensor is likely to be for the principle digicam, it appears extra doubtless Apple would take a look at the waters with a secondary sensor at first.
Photograph of iPhone 16 Professional Max digicam module: iFixit
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