Will Apple Catch up to Samsung With a 200MP iPhone?

• Apple is testing a 200MP camera for iPhones.
• The chances are that Apple might use Samsung’s Camera Sensor.
• It will probably be the main camera rather than a zoom camera sensor.

Apple has long been recognized for its exceptional camera performance in photos, but even more so for videos. Well, that’s not the case anymore, as many other brands, such as Samsung with its 200MP sensor, have even surpassed the iPhone. Now, it looks like Apple is finally getting serious about taking back its crown in the camera game.

According to tipster Digital Chat Station, Apple is testing a 200MP camera for upcoming iPhones. If this turns out to be true, it could be a big shift, especially since Apple has been sticking to the same 48MP sensor since the iPhone 14 Pro. There’s also a hint that it will be the main sensor and not telephoto or ultrawide, as asked in the follow-up comment on the same post.

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There’s a good chance Apple might go with Samsung’s 200MP ISOCELL sensor, since Samsung has been the primary developer of 200MP ISOCELL sensors.

What a 200MP Sensor Could Bring to the iPhone?

While megapixels aren’t everything, a well-implemented 200MP sensor can bring several benefits to the camera on iPhones:

1. More Details: A 200MP sensor captures incredibly detailed images, allowing you to crop photos without significant loss in quality. This means you can zoom in or reframe shots after taking them.
2. Improved Zoom Capabilities: High-resolution sensors can enhance digital zoom performance. For instance, Samsung’s 200MP sensors have shown up to 4x lossless zoom. This means that there will be no need for an additional telephoto lens.
3. Better Low-Light Performance: Modern 200MP sensors utilize pixel binning technology, combining multiple pixels to function as a larger pixel. This process improves light sensitivity and low-light photography with reduced noise.
4. Higher-Quality Video Recording: The increased resolution can support advanced video features, such as 8K recording, providing more detailed and sharper video content.

Since Apple is testing this 200MP sensor, there’s a good chance they’ll take it a step further than what Samsung has done so far. And if this sensor can handle zoom well enough, Apple might not even need a separate telephoto lens anymore, which could mean we might see a new type of sensor in the Pro models.

Maybe Apple will go with the new 200MP sensor that Samsung is working on for its upcoming S26 series. If that’s the case, we might see this big camera upgrade in the Pro models. Stay tuned for more updates like this, and do share your thoughts with us on our X!