
Apple has begun testing a new advanced CMOS image sensors (CIS) from Samsung for its upcoming flagship smartphone, the iPhone 16.
The report which first appeared in The Elec now seems to have been abruptly taken down from the Korean tech news website.
Until now, Apple has exclusively sourced CIS for its iPhones from Sony. But the latest report marks a dramatic departure for Apple away from the Japanese supplier over apparent concerns regarding its reliability and also the need to integrate advanced technologies into its camera system.
The delays from Sony over supplying its image sensors last year were so apparent, that not only did Apple almost have to push its launch of the iPhone 15, but in late 2023 it also reportedly asked Samsung to begin developing a CIS.
If Apple does end up approving the new Samsung sensors currently being tested, it will be the very first time that Samsung becomes a supplier for an iPhone CIS.

Samsung’s new image sensor is believed to feature a more advanced three-wafer stack design. Each wafer houses distinct elements: the photodiode, transistors, and analog digital converter logics.
Existing and previous iPhone image sensors, including that of Sony’s, have a two-stack design that combines the photodiode and transistors on a single wafer.
In a CIS, the photodiode converts light into electrical signals, while four transistors are responsible for transferring, amplifying, reading, and erasing these signals.
The separation of these components into three wafers allows for higher pixel density, reduced noise, and smaller pixel sizes.
The new technology from Samsung employs wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding, which attaches these wafers directly through a copper pad, eliminating the need for signal-transferring bumps. This allows the CIS to be smaller and increases data transfer speeds too.
The iPhone 16, if it follows the precedent set by Apple each year, should be unveiled in September. Apart from the camera sensors, Samsung is also tipped to supply the OLED displays for the upcoming devices.
Besides the new iPhone 16 Pro and Max, Samsung Display will reportedly supply the same M14 OLED screen technology to Google’s upcoming Pixel 9 too.