The iPhone 15 could gain a ‘state-of-the-art’ camera from Sony

The iPhone 14 Pro range is equipped with a 48MP main camera for the first time, coming several years after Android rivals first adopted 48MP, 50MP, and 64MP shooters. Now, it sounds like Apple has another camera upgrade in mind for the future.

Nikkei Asia Review reports that Sony will supply Apple and other OEMs with its “latest, state-of-the-art” image sensor. It’s believed that the sensor could land in the iPhone 15 range. So how does this camera sensor differ from others?

The outlet asserts that the new Sony sensor “doubles the saturation signal level in each pixel” compared to traditional camera sensors. In terms of real-world implications, it’s believed that the new sensor can capture more light and reduce over-exposure or under-exposure in certain situations. Nikkei gives the example of the image sensor being able to clearly capture a subject’s face in a strong backlit scene.

Competition from Android and Sony itself?

We’ve previously seen modern Android phones offer capabilities like this, but we’re guessing the new Sony sensor will have a higher tolerance for extreme over/under exposure. The sensor’s ability to capture more light also suggests that the future iPhone could make a significant step forward when it comes to low-light photos and videos.

It’s unclear if the image sensor in question is part of Sony’s brand-new Lytia sensor brand. The company announced the Lytia brand earlier this month, saying it would deliver “high-quality photography and videography powered by a diverse array of leading-edge technologies.”

In any event, the apparent iPhone camera sensor will likely have stiff competition from Sony’s own IMX989, offering a gigantic one-inch size and 50MP resolution. The IMX989 has already landed inside the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and Vivo X90 Pro series, and is expected to land inside several more Android phones in 2023.