All New iPhone Models Feature 18MP Front-Facing Camera With Center Stage and Square Sensor

[MacRumors]

All of Apple's new iPhone models feature a significantly upgraded 18-megapixel front-facing camera with Center Stage and a square sensor.

Users can expect significantly better selfies, especially in low-light conditions. The improvement is one of the biggest upgrades to the iPhone's front-facing camera ever. The history of major upgrades to the iPhone's front-facing camera is as follows:

• iPhone 4 (2010): 0.3-megapixels
• iPhone 5 (2012): 1.2-megapixels
• iPhone 6S (2015): 5-megapixels
• iPhone 7 (2016): 7-megapixels
• iPhone 12 (2020): 12-megapixels
• iPhone 17 (2025): 18-megapixels

The new 18-megapixel camera is present on the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The only iPhones still on sale with a camera below 18-megapixels are the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, and iPhone 16 Plus which retain a 12-megapixel camera.

The new front-facing camera features Center Stage for the first time, keeping the user in frame during video calls. It also enables ultra-stabilized video in 4K HDR. In addition, users can record on the front and rear cameras simultaneously with Dual Capture.

The sensor is square, which is a first for the iPhone, allowing users to take photos and videos in portrait or landscape while holding their iPhone vertically.

Article Link: All New iPhone Models Feature 18MP Front-Facing Camera With Center Stage and Square Sensor

 

[AbSoluTc]

Higher res duck lips!

 

[Homme]

The only iPhone still on sale with a camera below 18-megapixels is the iPhone 16e, which retains a 12-megapixel

wrong. 16 and 16 plus are still on sale and they have a 12MP Front facing camera

 

[JMStearnsX2]

Being able to film landscape without flipping the phone sideways would be nice on all the cameras.

 

[svish]

Much needed improvement. Of course have to see photos taken from it. Dual video recording is nice. Dual photo capture was also needed. Not sure if it is available on the new iPhones.

 

[Ries]

So still 12MP'ish and using the rest to crop around?

 

[macduke]

So was the rumor of 24mp incorrect, or is it actually 24mp but uses a crop for stabilization, or does it only use the full 24mp sensor for FaceTime so it can "zoom out" wider, even if the image itself isn't 24mp?

 

[alternamelka]

So if its an 18MP sensor and every pic you take is cropped then the final pics are probably still 12MP right?

 

[turbineseaplane]

Signs or our societal times..

An even better image of "yourself"

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

they didn't change the dynamic island size did they ?

 

[ipedro]

I hypothesized on a square sensor over the years ago to enable wide photos and video while holding the phone vertically, hoping it would put an end to the scourge of vertical video. Hopefully they bring this to the back cameras in future iPhones.

If this camera bar is being positioned as a premium feature, it has to be more than a design detail.

I'm guessing one of these:

A) The lenses are farther apart than what the rumour renderings show. This would enable widescreen photos and video and/or Spatial Photos and Video while holding the phone vertically.

 

[krvld]

iPhone 12 (2020): 12-megapixels

iPhone 11 actually

 

[Darajavahus]

Put the size of the pixels

 

[Rxssz]

Will this improve the FaceID scan and speed?

 

[roland.g]

That is one dynamic island!

 

[DrRadon]

Ah. That’s fun. I come from the 12 mini and I was not aware that they had not worked on that front camera for such a long time. Actually getting everything better.

 

[GlassFingers]

I would like to choose landscape or portrait orientation AFTER taking the photo. They should have it take all the data and you can decide later…. Just like how you can choose to add bokeh background blue after taking normal photo.

 

[MacFan782040]

Are the rear cameras square too?

From Apple's Final Cut Pro Camera page: "The update also introduces open gate recording, which uses the full camera sensor to capture a wider field of view at resolutions greater than DCI 4K. This gives editors ultimate flexibility to reframe shots, stabilize footage, and set final aspect ratios, all without compromising image quality or performance."

 

[agsystems]

The horizon app has been doing landscape video from the front camera for years but this is nice thing to have in the native camera with higher quality.

 

[hoxuantu]

In terms of photo quality, Megapixel is not as important as sensor size. Who knows what the change in sensor size of front camera?

 

[SteveJobs2.0]

like someone else said, my feeling is that for regular selfies the difference might not be big compared to 16 Pro because this is much wider camera so those 6mp are only used at the widest setting. As soon as they said Centre Stage I figured to lower my expectations.

 

[macMD]

So where is the 24mp front camera all the rumors said. I guess they decided to save it for another 5 years.

 

[subjonas]

I would like to choose landscape or portrait orientation AFTER taking the photo. They should have it take all the data and you can decide later…. Just like how you can choose to add bokeh background blue after taking normal photo.

I wouldn't want to have to go back and choose the orientation for all my photos, but I agree I'd like it to keep all the data (the full square sensor and crop non-destructively) in case I want to change it later.