Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station (DCS) was the first to suggest that Apple was working on a 200MP camera module for a future iPhone. This would be a huge increase in resolution over the 48MP sensors used in current models.
There have been conflicting rumors since then about timings, but it now seems everyone is aligned on a 2028 release …
There was subsequent speculation about whether the new module would be introduced into iPhones in 2027 or 2028, but Morgan Stanley backed the later date in an investor note earlier this year.
In their latest post, the leaker initially just stated that a 200MP telephoto module had been spotted in Apple’s supply chain, but when asked in the comments about the date said it was “most likely 2028.” It’s currently expected that the module will be made by Samsung, but DCS suggests that Sony is also vying for orders.
As we’ve noted before, higher megapixel counts aren’t always a good thing. The problem with squeezing ever more megapixels into a smartphone-sized sensor is that the pixel density increases. This means more noise is introduced into photos, and that can be especially problematic in low-light shots.
However, another DCS report indicated that Apple would be using a significantly larger sensor.
Let’s put the rumored new size into context with the main sensor of Apple’s current iPhone cameras:
iPhone 17/iPhone Air 1/1.56″ 48mm² iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max 1/1.28″ 71.5mm² Rumored 200MP sensor 1/1.12″ 93.2mm²
He has also indicated that the 200MP sensor would only be used for the telephoto lens, which is mostly used for outdoor shots where image noise tends to be less of an issue.
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