iPhone Rumored to Get 200MP Camera Like Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra - MacRumors
Skip to Content

iPhone Rumored to Get 200MP Camera Like Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra

Apple is testing a 200-megapixel camera sensor, according to Digital Chat Station, a user with a large following on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has previously shared accurate information about Apple's future products.

iPhone 15 Pro Cameras
While the account's post today does not provide any further details, this 200-megapixel camera sensor would likely be for the main rear camera on a future high-end iPhone model. Samsung introduced a 200-megapixel rear camera on its Galaxy S23 Ultra in 2023, and the follow-up S24 Ultra and S25 Ultra models also have one.

With a 200-megapixel camera, an iPhone would be able to shoot photos with greater detail. The increased megapixel count would also result in higher-resolution photos, which can be cropped further and printed at larger sizes without a loss of image quality.

Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to feature entirely 48-megapixel cameras, so the 200-megapixel camera is unlikely to be available this year. In addition, a 200-megapixel camera has yet to be rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. Ultimately, the upgraded camera specification could be at least a few years away.

Popular Stories

tsmc semiconductor chip inspection 678x452

Apple Eyes Intel and Samsung as Backup US Chipmakers

Tuesday May 5, 2026 2:32 am PDT by
Apple has held "exploratory" talks with Intel and Samsung about manufacturing the main processors for its devices in the United States, reports Bloomberg ($). Apple is said to have had early-stage talks with Intel about using its chipmaking services, while Apple executives have reportedly visited a Samsung plant under construction in Texas that will also make advanced chips. The talks are ...
iPhone 18 Pro with a smaller centered Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro's LTPO+ Display Upgrade to Come From Samsung, LG

Wednesday May 6, 2026 5:38 am PDT by
Apple is expected to finalize OLED panel approvals for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max this month, with Samsung Display and LG Display likely to dominate panel supply, reports The Elec. This year, China's BOE has reportedly been closed out of the premium tier supply chain, despite having landed some panel orders for the iPhone 17 Pro models. The setback is said to be down to quality and...
samsung logo 2022

Samsung Hits $1 Trillion Valuation Amid Apple Chip Diversification Talks

Wednesday May 6, 2026 1:03 pm PDT by
Samsung today reached a valuation of $1 trillion for the first time, reports Bloomberg. Samsung's value has been climbing sharply due to increasing demand for the memory chips it manufactures, and stock increased 14.4 percent today. Samsung is the second Asian firm after Apple supplier TSMC to reach a $1 trillion valuation. Last week, Samsung's semiconductor manufacturing business wildly...

Top Rated Comments

berrymetal Avatar
13 months ago
400MP or nothing
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
13 months ago
Apple will give you 100mp but if you subscribe to iphone camera pro or apple one Tim will unlock 200
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
13 months ago
I know I'm in the minority, but I just don't care about the cameras, and there is nothing they can add in that department that would prompt me to upgrade. Sorry Apple, you need to do something more interesting.

..and my 12MP DSLR will smoke a 20MP or 200MP phone camera, from any manufacturer.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
13 months ago
MP are the new MHz/GHz myth.

Edit: Not that I really care but it's clear 1-2 people don't understand my comment (random downvotes). Years ago there was a race to more megahertz/gigahertz (clock speed) as if that was better or faster. It wasn't always better and there were diminishing returns. There were also differences with efficiencies.

Here's a simple example.

Imagine there are two children racing to clean up toys. One child can pick up 10 toys every second. The other can only pick up 8 toys every second. Is the first child faster?

Not necessarily. What if the first child gets distracted and drops half the toys, while the second one is more careful and picks up all 8 without dropping any? Then the second child might finish faster than the first.

The "megahertz myth" is kind of like that. Megahertz/gigahertz only tells us how often the computer does something, not how well it does it or how much work it gets done each time. That’s why clock speed isn’t everything — it’s just one part of the story.

It's similar with the number of pixels. There are some potential benefits to more, but fewer larger ones might be better overall. Just because 200 > 48 doesn't mean 200 is better than 48. In various tests, the 200MP cameras in Samsung phones get good marks, but they are generally outclassed by cameras with fewer pixels (e.g., in Google's phones or the iPhone 16 Pro).
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
13 months ago

a camera with a bigger sensor and larger lens would smoke a tiny sensor with small lens? who knew?
People who think that 200mp means better than 12mp when it's the sensor and the glass that makes the difference, but those don't market as well.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
13 months ago

There is very little practical use for the average user to have 200MP photos. Even in HEIF, they'd still weigh in at several hundred megs an image, so unless you opt for the TB storage option on your phone, enjoy all 36 photos you can take at that resolution 🤣
The advantage is for Apple increasing their profit with iCloud subscriptions and storage upsells. ;)
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)