iPhone 18 Rumored to Feature Upgraded Camera Sensor From Samsung With Many Benefits

While the iPhone 17 series is still more than eight months away from launching, there are already rumors about the iPhone 18 models coming next year.

iphone 16 pro design cameras
Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes today reported that Samsung is developing a new three-layer stacked camera sensor that is targeted for the iPhone 18. This advanced image sensor would make the iPhone 18's camera more responsive, with other benefits including reduced noise in photos, increased dynamic range, and more.

The exact technology is called "PD-TR-Logic," according to the report, and it refers to a camera sensor with three layers of circuitry affixed to it. A leaker known as "Jukanlosreve" first revealed Samsung's alleged plans for the sensor last week.

Sony has long been the exclusive supplier of image sensors for iPhone cameras, so Samsung entering the fray would be notable.

In July 2024, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expected Samsung to begin shipping 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera sensors to Apple for iPhones as early as 2026, which is when iPhone 18 models are expected to be released. It is unclear if Samsung's sensor will also be used for the Fusion and/or Telephoto cameras on iPhone 18 models, and it is unclear if the sensor will be limited to iPhone 18 Pro models.

With at least three sources having revealed Samsung's plans to become an iPhone camera sensor supplier, this rumor seems to be quite solidified. iPhone 18 models are still more than a year and a half away, though, so the plans could change.

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Top Rated Comments

cocky jeremy Avatar
15 weeks ago
If camera upgrades are the only upgrade, I'll still buy. You keep these photos forever, so I want the absolute best quality possible.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexandr Avatar
15 weeks ago
But I bet it got nothing on iPhone 19!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
satchmo Avatar
15 weeks ago
Jobs:
"An iPod, a phone, and an Internet communicator...oh wait, and a camera. An iPod, a phone... are you getting it? These are not four separate devices, this is one device, and we are calling it iPhone"
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
15 weeks ago

If camera upgrades are the only upgrade, I'll still buy. You keep these photos forever, so I want the absolute best quality possible.
You keep the photos forever... even when you don't want to ?

https://www.macrumors.com/2024/05/15/ios-17-5-bug-deleted-photos-reappear/


De Beers: A Diamond Is Forever

Apple: A Photo Is Forever
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
subjonas Avatar
15 weeks ago

At this point they are just doing these incremental camera upgrades on purpose because that's really the only thing they can still do improvements to. Kind of ridiculous if you think about it.
Why ridiculous? If that’s all they can do then what else can they do?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spock Avatar
15 weeks ago
So all the Samsung Android users won’t be able to say the Galaxy cameras are better than the iPhone anymore ;)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)