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Apple could change its strategy regarding the camera supplier for its iPhone devices. The Cupertino giant has been working exclusively with Sony in this section for years. However, a new report suggests that Samsung will become a new iPhone camera sensor supplier for Apple in the coming years.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a renowned industry analyst, posted on X/Twitter that Apple and Samsung already have an agreement for an advanced camera sensor. Samsung would even have already established a team exclusively dedicated to development.
Samsung to ship the new iPhone camera sensor in 2026
According to the report, it will be a “1/2.6-inch 48MP ultra-wide CMOS” sensor. The post specifically mentions that it will be an “ultra-wide” sensor, something that also reflects its size. For reference, the iPhone 15 Pro Max ultra-wide sensor has a size of 1/2.55″, slightly larger than the leaked one.
So, it’s possible that Apple will turn to Samsung for a new advanced ultra-wide lens, but continue to collaborate with Sony for the main sensor of its iPhone devices. Be that as it may, the news would be a hard blow for Sony, which would lose some presence in tens of millions of iPhone devices annually. Currently, the Japanese company monopolizes the entire camera system of iPhone devices. However, now Samsung could join the equation by bringing the ultra-wide sensor.
Samsung would start shipping the new camera sensor in 2026, so Apple could implement it in the iPhone 18 series. Kuo’s report does not offer additional details about Apple’s reasons for the change in strategy. However, Sony has been losing some ground in some flagship mobile devices in recent years. For example, brands like Xiaomi or Huawei have used Omnivision sensors in their high-end devices. In any case, the Xiaomi “Ultra” lineup still trusts Sony for its main camera.
Perhaps the change in strategy is due to the fact that Apple plans to incorporate new image technologies and only Samsung was capable of doing so. It is also possible that the company is optimizing costs. Be that as it may, more details may emerge in the future.