200MP iPhone Camera Not Yet in Active Prototype Testing, Says Leaker

[MacRumors]

Apple's adoption of a 200-megapixel camera for a future iPhone is still some ways off, according to a prominent supply chain leaker who says such a sensor is not currently part of Apple's active prototype testing.

In a post on Weibo, Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station said that 200-megapixel camera sensors are being discussed in the supply chain, but they have not appeared in iPhone engineering prototypes undergoing real-world imaging tests. Instead, Apple's current camera development work is said to remain focused on refining 48-megapixel systems, as per previous reports.

The leaker's comments follow a research note from Morgan Stanley this week that suggested Apple is working to bring a 200-megapixel camera to the iPhone as soon as 2028. Digital Chat Station's remarks don't rule out such a move – indeed, the leaker said last May that Apple was looking at future adoption – but they do indicate that engineering-stage development on the sensor has yet to begin.

Samsung introduced a 200-megapixel rear camera on its Galaxy S23 Ultra in 2023, and the follow-up 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.

However, Digital Chat Station says current Pro-series prototypes continue to test a 48-megapixel main camera with a variable aperture, alongside a 48-megapixel telephoto camera featuring a longer focal length and a larger aperture. The leaker says these changes will be introduced later this year in iPhone 18 Pro models, indicating Apple is continuing its emphasis on optical flexibility and low-light performance, rather than a jump in raw resolution.

The leaker adds that 200-megapixel sensors – reportedly supplied by Samsung – are currently only at a material or component evaluation stage. This typically refers to early feasibility checks within the supply chain, rather than integration into complete iPhone prototypes.

Digital Chat Station also notes that Apple has shown interest in "multispectral imaging technology", though testing has reportedly not yet begun. Multispectral imaging could theoretically enable improved material/object detection and image processing, but there is no suggestion that such features are anywhere close to shipping.

Article Link: 200MP iPhone Camera Not Yet in Active Prototype Testing, Says Leaker

 

[Justin Cymbal]

Can’t wait for Apple to add a 200 megapixel camera to the iPhone!

I regularly travel out west to go to various national parks as well as overseas to different countries so having a 200 megapixel camera with me at all times would be awesome for taking both regular pictures as well as panoramas

 

[TechRunner]

I wouldn't upgrade my current iPhone just for a 200MP camera, but if one was in the iPhone Pro when I was ready to upgrade I would consider it an item in the plus column.

 

[AusMness]

200MP is still useless with the size of smartphone camera sensors, Apple has the right idea going triple 48

 

[wikiverse]

Maybe Apple should fix the ugly green lens flare dots that ruin every single night time photo or video with a point light source - like street lamps.

200MP isn't going to fix that problem that persists in every iPhone and makes it impossible to use as a 'professional' device.

 

[I7guy]

Maybe Apple should fix the ugly green lens flare dots that ruin every single night time photo or video with a point light source - like street lamps.

200MP isn't going to fix that problem that persists in every iPhone and makes it impossible to use as a 'professional' device.

It’s a physics issue not apple issue.

 

[syklee26]

pixel count that high is not necessary. 48mp is more than enough.

 

[Asthmatic Kitty]

200MP is still useless with the size of smartphone camera sensors, Apple has the right idea going triple 48

Yeah I'm a bit sceptical too — plus if you shoot in ProRaw/RAW surely the file sizes would be bonkers at 200MP. Having 48 on all three cameras these days is great.

 

[Bungaree.Chubbins]

200MP looks good on a spec sheet in comparisons. It doesn't do anything to improve the actual photo.

 

[Nyx1]

I want big sensor

 

[rymc02]

200MP is still useless with the size of smartphone camera sensors, Apple has the right idea going triple 48

Things are changing with larger MP sensors especially in smartphones. Sony's new Lytia 901 sensor, uses a Quad-Quad Bayer Coding (QQBC) array that basically bins it down to 50mp giving you the light sensitivity of 50mp sensor but maintains higher resolution. 200MP going forward, isn't exactly going to mean 200MP anymore. But you bet marketing is going to love it.

 

[ELman]

Samsung 2023
Apple "as soon as 2028" seems about right.

 

[ThailandToo]

What the Air needs is an ultrawide 200mp camera if it’s only going to have one camera. Then zooming in wouldn’t lose quality so quickly. Samsung has been doing it for five years!

 

[doobydoooby]

Can’t wait for Apple to add a 200 megapixel camera to the iPhone!

I regularly travel out west to go to various national parks as well as overseas to different countries so having a 200 megapixel camera with me at all times would be awesome for taking both regular pictures as well as panoramas

theres arguably no benefit at all to taking a landscape picture with a 200MP lens, unless you intend to project it onto a skyscraper. The cost: each picture takes an enormous amount of storage space. The potential (but not particularly significant) benefit: if you were to crop/zoom in post processing beyond the capacity of the optical zoom, things may stay marginally sharper. Or if you want to print a poster the size of an art gallery wall. Generally speaking, the rush to higher mega pixel cameras started becoming pointless beyond around 10MP - the main criteria for a snappy pic being a good lens and sensor. Apple sensibly stuck to their guns on this nonsensical megapixel race for many years; seems now the marketing team is getting the upper hand.

 

[CarAnalogy]

200MP is still useless with the size of smartphone camera sensors, Apple has the right idea going triple 48

Wouldn't this also be a lot more useful with larger lenses as well. They are already so big.

 

[CarAnalogy]

theres arguably no benefit at all to taking a landscape picture with a 200MP lens, unless you intend to project it onto a skyscraper. The cost: each picture takes an enormous amount of storage space. The potential (but not particularly significant) benefit: if you were to crop/zoom in post processing beyond the capacity of the optical zoom, things may stay marginally sharper. Or if you want to print a poster the size of an art gallery wall. Generally speaking, the rush to higher mega pixel cameras started becoming pointless beyond around 10MP - the main criteria for a snappy pic being a good lens and sensor. Apple sensibly stuck to their guns on this nonsensical megapixel race for many years; seems now the marketing team is getting the upper hand.

In my experience they did a good job with the 48/12 setup on the current phones. That 1x/2x toggle is really nice, and 4x is vastly improved. I didn't even have 8x before but it's actually quite good as well. And hard to control the framing. I can't really imagine using more than that without a tripod.

I do agree 200MP is ridiculous on a phone.

 

[Rychiar]

I remember when Nikon came out with the D800 DSLR with its massive 36mp resolution at the time... people would say much of the glass made for the DSLR wasn't good enough to resolve that 36mp properly.... I can't even fathom how uselesss 200 is on a smartphone. The highest end Mirrorless cams of today top out at what 60mp? most at 45ish and that's with full frame sensors and very high end glass

 

[citysnaps]

It's great to see Apple exploring potential future camera tech. That's what R&D is about. Also looking forward to seeing what Apple's exploration/development of extended dynamic range camera sensors yields in the future.

But yeah... that goes against the reflexive views (and apparently desires) of the "Apple doesn't innovate anymore" crowd.

 

[Ifti]

I took these images of the hotel I stayed at over Xmas with my 17 Pro Max - I was quite pleased considering they were simply 'point and shoot' images with no settings adjustments (other then the EV in the night shot).
Im not very good at photography but rather then trying to squeeze more megapixels from an image I would rather they work on sensor quality, low light, etc - even though there's only so much you can do with lenses this small.....

 

[Astuces iOS]

Literally 200mp are making things worse… Give us a bigger sensor instead… Anyways I’ve already switched to mirrorless camera cause iPhone and other phones cameras really sucks !

 

[citysnaps]

Literally 200mp are making things worse… Give us a bigger sensor instead… Anyways I’ve already switched to mirrorless camera cause iPhone and other phones cameras really sucks !

I have two mirrorless cams (a Sony A7RV and A7CR). And an iPhone 16PM.

The 16PM has a great camera. Of course my Sony cams are better, but my iPhone camera certainly doesn't suck. It's an excellent camera and always with me (a huge advantage) and produces great results.

 

[Dog Bone Malone]

200MP's will be milked to death as a selling point. No doubt it'll be touted as 'the best iPhone camera yet'! No one needs 200MP, FFS. My old Full Frame Nikon D700 has 12MP, and takes better pictures than anything I ever could with my 48Mp iPhone.

It's all about the sensor size, and you ain't going to get a full frame sensor in a iPhone. Sheeeesh.

 

[goonie4life9]

That's right, folks, Apple is so on the bleeding edge that they are conceptually investigating game-changing technologies that can't even exist yet because they are nowhere near ready to take things to a whole new level in truly delighting customers of the best-in-class premium mobile device space! Tim sure wasn't kidding when he said the pipeline has never been stronger!

But seriously, if Apple is looking at 200MP cameras, there is already prototyping being done. It doesn't start with dropping them into an otherwise completed iPhone. Additionally, Apple has mastered the long development cycle, meaning they prototype all sorts of things before finalizing. They have already locked-in the 2026 and 2027 iPhones.

 

[Astuces iOS]

I have two mirrorless cams (a Sony A7RV and A7CR). And an iPhone 16PM.

The 16PM has a great camera. Of course my Sony cams are better, but my iPhone camera certainly doesn't suck. It's an excellent camera and always with me (a huge advantage) and produces great results.

It really depends on what you are shooting but you can see iPhone limitations super fast... For example for the telephoto the iPhone is smashed by a real telephoto lens... On night it's a pain for the iPhone, you need to use long exposure and there is noise and blabla...

Really yes your iPhone is always with you and useful to take pictures of somethings like documents but for photography it's not a good camera... Only some rare pictures can look ok but that's it...

 

[citysnaps]

That's right, folks, Apple is so on the bleeding edge that they are conceptually investigating game-changing technologies that can't even exist yet because they are nowhere near ready to take things to a whole new level in truly delighting customers of the best-in-class premium mobile device space! Tim sure wasn't kidding when he said the pipeline has never been stronger!

But seriously, if Apple is looking at 200MP cameras, there is already prototyping being done. It doesn't start with dropping them into an otherwise completed iPhone. Additionally, Apple has mastered the long development cycle, meaning they prototype all sorts of things before finalizing. They have already locked-in the 2026 and 2027 iPhones.

Spot-on. Fortunately the naysayers with limited imaginations aren't employed in Apple's R&D labs. Their announcement a few months ago of a new sensor design that can provides 20 stops of dynamic range is one example of thinking outside the box.