Apple cameras have been exclusively powered by Sony sensors for over a decade, but that might be about to change. According to leaker Jukanlosreve, iPhone 18 might ditch Sony in favor of a new “3-layer stacked” camera sensor from Samsung. That backs up some older claims made by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Jukanlosreve claims that this “3-layer stacked” image sensor is more advanced than Sony’s Exmor RS, and he believes that “it cannot be ruled out as a potential candidate for the main sensor.” Crucially, though, they claim that this sensor is in addition to the rumored 500MP camera sensor supposedly coming to Galaxy phones in the future.
Exclusive: Samsung is currently developing a “3-layer stacked” image sensor in a PD-TR-Logic configuration for Apple.This sensor is more advanced than Sony’s existing Exmor RS, and I believe it cannot be ruled out as a potential candidate for the main sensor.Samsung is…January 1, 2025
Stacked sensors feature electronics mounted directly on their back. A 3-layer stacked sensor would presumably have, well, 3 layers of circuitry. They’re built to offer faster readout speed, reduced rolling shutter effects, enable higher frame-rates and improve low-light performance. All together those could potentially have a big impact on image quality.
Meanwhile Kuo claimed last year that Samsung is expected to begin shipping a 1 /2.6-inch 48MP ultra-wide CMOS Image Sensor to Apple as early as 2026. Apparently the company has its own team dedicated to handling Apple’s needs, and presumably convince the company to give Sony the boot.
From the sounds of things, the switch to Samsung isn’t a done deal. Meaning there’s no guarantee that Apple will ditch its long-standing partnership with Sony. Or even that Samsung will end up supplying all the necessary camera hardware for iPhone 18 and beyond. It could prove beneficial to Apple’s bottom line if both Samsung and Sony are competing for its business. More so when you remember that Samsung Galaxy phones regularly place on our list of the best camera phones.
We’re still over 18 months away from the release of the iPhone 18, and a lot can change in that amount of time. Heck, we’re still only just piecing together what the iPhone 17 might have to offer, and even those details aren’t certain right now. So we’ll just have to wait and see how this plays out, and whether or not Apple really does mix up its camera suppliers going forward.
