As ChannelNews reported earlier this month, Apple is considering dropping its long-time iPhone camera collaborator Sony in favour of Samsung.
Now, fresh details are emerging as to the timelines and specifics of that proposed move. Apple is expected to use a Samsung-made “1/2.6-inch 48MP ultra-wide CMOS image sensors” starting “as early as 2026,” according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo
In 2022, Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that Sony had been its iPhone camera supplier for more than a decade. Previous reports have suggested that Sony sensors were used in phones such as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 8.
If the latest reports are true, a 48MP camera is a big jump from the iPhone 15 Pro’s 12MP ultrawide. If the new sensors are made available on a Pro device, it would benefit the Vision Pro’s stereoscopic “spatial” videos, which are created as a result of the ultrawide and main lens working together.
Samsung is reported to have even established a dedicated team focused solely on meeting Apple’s stringent specifications.
The timing of the move away from the Japanese supplier comes over Apple’s apparent concerns regarding Sony’s reliability and the need to integrate advanced technologies into its camera system.
The delays from Sony over supplying its image sensors last year were so evident, that not only did Apple have to reportedly almost push its launch of the iPhone 15, but in late 2023 it also asked Samsung to begin developing a new advanced CMOS image sensors (CIS).
Some media reports have further indicated that Samsung’s new image sensor for the iPhone will feature a more advanced three-wafer stack design. Each wafer houses distinct elements: the photodiode, transistors, and analog digital converter logics.
Sony is believed to have offered a two-stack design that combines the photodiode and transistors on a single wafer.
The separation of these components into three wafers allows for higher pixel density, reduced noise, and smaller pixel sizes.
Apart from the camera sensors, Samsung is also tipped to supply the OLED displays for Apple’s upcoming devices.
