Samsung Galaxy S22 series could arrive with a 50MP RGBW main camera

The Samsung Galaxy S22 launch might be a few months away yet, but the leaks are already coming through thick and fast. The latest tip suggests that Samsung’s 2022 early flagship could feature a pretty impressive camera system.

Early rumors pointed to the use of a 50MP sensor across the Galaxy S22 range. Now, a new tip from tipster Yogesh, in response to an Ice Universe tweet, suggests that this sensor could be an RGBW (red, green, blue, and white) unit.

Why use an RGBW sensor?

It’s far too early to confirm any of the Galaxy S22 series’ specs, but an RGBW sensor would be an interesting inclusion. In theory, the addition of white pixels should help the sensor acquire more light information across the entire spectrum. This should improve the sensor’s overall light performance in darker scenes.

More reading: We tested the best camera phones of 2021 so far

The first phone to feature the tech was the Huawei P8. Its sensor took impressive shots in its time but did struggle with overexposure in brighter scenes. Considering the phone launched half a decade ago, we imagine that advancements by modern sensors and software would largely mitigate this issue.

Samsung wouldn’t be the only firm working on a phone with this sensor, either. Late last year, Vivo announced plans to launch a phone with an RGBW sensor in 2021. Although the device’s title wasn’t revealed, it’s possible the tech would debut on the camera-centric Vivo X60 successor.

While Yogesh’s tips are generally reliable, you should still take this info with a pinch of salt. After the Galaxy Z Fold 3 makes its presumed debut later this month, Samsung will probably only launch the Galaxy S22 series in Q1 2022. There’s plenty of time for new details to emerge.

Other rumors have suggested that Samsung’s following flagship line could make significant strides in camera performance. The company is also reportedly working on a 200MP sensor and polishing its current 108MP sensor, so expect this to debut on a device (Samsung or otherwise) in the future, too.