Apple might finally catch up to Samsung and use a 200MP primary camera on future iPhones. A new rumor hints that the company is experimenting with a 200MP main camera sensor.
Current iPhone models ship with a 48MP primary shooter, while the Pro models also use a 48MP ultrawide.
Apple testing a 200MP camera for iPhone
Apple took its time to switch to a high-resolution 48MP sensor on iPhones. It transitioned with the 2022 iPhone 14 Pro, a few years after almost all major Android smartphones had adopted such cameras. But while Apple has stuck to a 48MP primary camera since then, companies like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Vivo have moved on to using 200MP sensors. Only Samsung uses a 200MP primary shooter, while others use the high-resolution sensor for their zoom lens.
Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station says Apple is testing a 200MP camera. While the initial Weibo post did not provide more details, the leaker later indicated in a reply that the 200MP shooter is “most likely the main camera.”
Importantly, the leak makes no claim about Apple adopting a larger sensor. An increase in resolution does not necessarily mean a bigger sensor. Without a larger sensor, any improvement from using a 200MP sensor will only come with pixel binning. So, don’t expect any radical improvements, especially in low light.
High-resolution sensors can help with better zoom
Such high-resolution sensors typically help deliver better zoom performance in good lighting conditions. Apple could leverage this to capture 3x zoom images with optical-quality zoom. Or, like Xiaomi and Vivo, it could use a 200MP periscope lens for impressive long-range zoom.
Before Apple makes the leap to a 200MP camera, it will seemingly upgrade the iPhone 17 Pro with a 48MP telephoto lens this year. The move should improve the image quality and enable the company to offer 8K video recording for the first time.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
