Samsung May Replace Sony to Develop a New Generation of iPhone Camera Sensors for Apple

January 2, 2025 The latest sensor news, Apple’s iPhone will adopt a new 1/2.6-inch 48MP ultra-wide-angle CMOS image sensor (CIS) manufactured by Samsung as early as 2026.

He added: “Samsung is expected to start shipping 1/2.6-inch 48MP ultra-wide-angle CMOS image sensors (CIS) for Apple iPhones as early as 2026, breaking Sony’s years-long monopoly on Apple’s CIS supply. To this end, Samsung has set up a dedicated team to serve Apple.”

Samsung camera sensor for iPhone 18

The leakster, @Jukanlosreve, took to X (formerly Twitter), claiming that Samsung will replace the Sony camera sensors. He said that Samsung is currently working on a 3-layer stacked image sensor for Apple.

Samsung may challenge Sony’s image sensor monopoly.

Samsung camera sensor for iPhone 18 Latest news

It is reported that Samsung is developing a three-layer stacked camera sensor for Apple iPhone

For a long time, Apple has almost completely relied on Sony for camera sensors, and the latest iPhone 16 series is no exception.

However, this situation may change. It is reported that Samsung, which provides OLED panels for Apple, may also enter Apple’s camera sensor supply chain. According to the whistleblower, Samsung is developing a three-layer stacked sensor that is said to outperform Sony’s Exmor RS series.

Previously, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that Samsung would supply Apple with 48-megapixel sensors starting with the iPhone 18. The latest rumor comes from the whistleblower @Jukanlosreve on the X platform, who pointed out that Samsung is developing a three-layer stacked sensor for Apple with a “PD-TR-Logic configuration.”

Apple iPhone 18 Image Sensor

Stacked camera sensors are characterized by placing the processing chip on the back of the sensor, and “three layers” means that there are three layers of chips stacked together in a “sandwich” form.

The advantage of stacked sensors is that the distance over which pixel values ​​are transmitted is greatly shortened, thereby increasing processing speed. For smartphones, stacked sensors are an ideal upgrade because users usually want to be able to capture wonderful moments instantly instead of waiting for a long time for the device to process. The whistleblower said that Samsung’s unnamed three-layer stacked sensor is more advanced than Sony’s Exmor RS series.

Samsung phones VS. Sony phones

The IOT cloud platform noted that the whistleblower also said that while developing sensors for Apple, Samsung is also mass-producing a 500-megapixel camera sensor for its future Galaxy flagship product line, which is also said to use a three-layer stacked design.

The news that Samsung will break Sony’s monopoly and develop a new generation of camera sensors for Apple has attracted widespread attention in the technology community. The following is a detailed introduction to this event.

Background Introduction

In the smartphone industry, image sensors (CIS), as the core components of cameras, play a vital role in the quality of photos.

For many years, Sony has dominated the mobile phone image sensor market with its advanced CMOS image sensor technology. However, with the continuous advancement of technology and the intensification of market competition, other manufacturers have also begun to increase their R&D investment in the field of image sensors in an attempt to break Sony’s monopoly.

As one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers, Samsung has made significant progress in the field of image sensors in recent years.

Samsung has not only launched high-pixel image sensors, but also continuously innovated in sensor design, manufacturing processes, etc., improving the performance and reliability of sensors.

Therefore, Samsung has become one of the important options for smartphone manufacturers such as Apple to seek to replace Sony’s image sensors.

Samsung develops a new generation of camera sensors for Apple

1. Three-layer stacked design

According to media reports, Samsung is developing a new three-layer stacked sensor for Apple. This sensor separates the photodiode layer and the signal processing layer, which can capture image information faster and improve imaging speed and image quality.

Compared with Sony’s existing Exmor RS image sensor, Samsung’s three-layer stacked sensor has significantly improved performance.

The three-layer stacked design not only improves the dynamic range and color reproduction ability of the sensor, but also enhances the imaging effect of the sensor in low-light environments.

This is of great significance for improving the photo quality of smartphones, especially when shooting in low-light environments, it can reduce noise and improve picture clarity.

2. Estimated application time

This new three-layer stacked sensor is expected to be used in the iPhone 18 series in 2026. If all goes well, Samsung will successfully break Sony’s monopoly in Apple’s image sensor supply and become Apple’s new important supplier.

3. Technical advantages

Samsung’s technical advantages in the field of image sensors are mainly reflected in the following aspects:

• High pixel technology: Samsung is the world’s first company to launch a smartphone equipped with a 108-megapixel sensor, and subsequently launched a 200-megapixel lens. High-pixel technology enables Samsung’s image sensors to collect more light information and take clearer and more detailed photos.
• Advanced manufacturing process: Samsung has world-leading technology in semiconductor manufacturing process. This enables Samsung to produce smaller and higher-performance image sensors to meet the needs of smartphones for thinness and high performance.
• Innovative design concept: Samsung focuses on innovation in the design of image sensors and continuously introduces new design concepts and technical solutions. For example, Samsung’s ALoP (all-lens prism) technology improves image brightness and quality by optimizing lens layout and increasing lens diameter.

Samsung’s own flagship mobile phone image sensor development

In addition to developing a new generation of camera sensors for Apple, Samsung is also developing high-pixel sensors for its own Galaxy flagship phones. According to reports, Samsung is developing a 500-megapixel three-layer stacked sensor for the Galaxy flagship phone. This sensor also has powerful imaging capabilities and will further improve the photo quality of the Galaxy flagship phone.

The development of image sensors for Samsung’s own flagship phones also reflects Samsung’s continuous innovation and progress in the field of image sensors. From the early low-pixel sensors to the current 500-megapixel sensors, Samsung’s image sensor technology has undergone a process from quantitative change to qualitative change. This not only improves the photo quality of Samsung smartphones, but also provides strong support for Samsung’s competition in the image sensor market.

Sony’s response strategy and market competition pattern

Facing the challenges of competitors such as Samsung, Sony is also constantly strengthening its own technology research and development and market competitiveness. As a veteran manufacturer in the field of image sensors, Sony has deep technical accumulation and rich market experience. In order to maintain its market leading position, Sony has made efforts in the following aspects:

• Increase R&D investment: Sony continues to increase its R&D investment in the field of image sensors and has launched a series of high-performance and high-reliability image sensor products. These products not only meet the needs of consumer electronics such as smartphones, but are also widely used in security monitoring, automotive electronics and other fields.
• Expand market share: Sony actively expands its market share and strengthens cooperation with smartphone manufacturers. Through cooperation with Chinese smartphone manufacturers such as Huawei and Xiaomi, Sony has further consolidated its position in the image sensor market.
• Promote technological innovation: Sony continues to promote technological innovation and lead the development direction of the image sensor field. For example, Sony’s double-layer transistor technology can greatly improve the photosensitivity and dynamic range of CIS, providing strong support for the improvement of smartphone camera quality.

However, despite Sony’s strong competitiveness in the field of image sensors, facing the challenges of competitors such as Samsung, Sony also needs to continue to innovate and progress. In the future, the competition landscape of the image sensor market will be more intense and complex.

The significance and impact of Samsung breaking Sony’s monopoly

Samsung’s breaking of Sony’s monopoly in Apple’s image sensor supply has important significance and impact:

• Promote market competition: Samsung’s participation will promote competition in the image sensor market and promote continuous innovation and technological progress of manufacturers. This will help to improve the level of the entire industry and provide consumers with better products and services.
• Improve consumer experience: With the continuous advancement of image sensor technology and the intensification of market competition, consumers will be able to enjoy a higher quality and more convenient photo experience. Both smartphones and other consumer electronics will benefit from the development of image sensor technology.
• Promote industry upgrading: The participation of manufacturers such as Samsung will promote the upgrading and development of the image sensor industry. This will help to improve the level and competitiveness of the entire industry chain and provide strong support for the development of related industries.

Future Outlook

In the future, with the continuous development and popularization of consumer electronic products such as smartphones, the image sensor market will usher in a broader development prospect.

Samsung and other manufacturers will continue to increase their R&D investment and market expansion efforts in the field of image sensors to promote continuous innovation and progress in technology.

At the same time, with the continuous development of technologies such as 5G and the Internet of Things, image sensors will be applied and promoted in more fields. This will provide more market opportunities and development space for manufacturers such as Samsung.

In addition, as consumers’ requirements for photo quality continue to increase, image sensor technology will continue to develop in the direction of higher pixels, higher performance, and lower power consumption.

Samsung and other manufacturers need to keep up with market demand and technological development trends, and continue to innovate and progress to meet consumer needs and expectations.

Summary

Samsung’s breaking of Sony’s monopoly in Apple’s image sensor supply is of great significance and impact. This will promote market competition, enhance consumer experience, promote industrial upgrading, and provide strong support for the development of related industries.

In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology and the continuous development of the market, the image sensor market will usher in broader development prospects and opportunities.

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