Samsung is reportedly developing a new "3-layer stacked" camera sensor for Apple, potentially ending Sony's exclusive supply for iPhones. This new sensor is said to be more advanced than Sony's current Exmor RS range.
New Sensor in ‘PD-TR-Logic Configuration’
Tipster @Jukanlosreve suggests that Samsung is developing a 3-layer stacked sensor for Apple using a 'PD-TR-Logic configuration'. A stacked sensor incorporates processing chips at the back, and the '3-layer' designation indicates that there will be three chips stacked on top of each other. This design reduces the distance pixel data has to travel, thereby boosting processing speeds. Stacked sensors are advantageous in smartphones where users want to quickly capture a picture without waiting.
If this technology arrives for the iPhone 18 series, Samsung's unnamed 3-layer stacked sensor is rumored to outperform Sony's Exmor RS lineup.
Mass Production and Future Plans
Samsung is also said to be developing 500MP camera for its own future Galaxy lineup, which is also rumored to be a 3-layer stacked version.
While this rumor indicates that Sony may lose its exclusive supplier status with Apple, many questions remain. Most notably, which iPhone model will debut this new sensor technology? The report, however, confirms Samsung's intention to compete with Sony in the image sensor market, possibly marking a notable shift in camera sensor supplies for Apple's iPhones in the coming years.
