New camera sensor coming to iPhone 18 line-up; Sony to lose monopoly

A new report suggests that the iPhone 18 will be getting at least one new sensor, and that it will be made by Samsung rather than Sony.

If correct, it would represent an end to Sony’s exclusivity on the contract for iPhone sensors …

Ming-Chi Kuo’s report doesn’t offer much detail.

Samsung is expected to begin shipping 1/2.6-inch 48MP ultra-wide CMOS image sensors (CIS) to Apple for iPhones as early as 2026, breaking Sony’s years-long monopoly on supplying CIS to Apple. To this end, Samsung has established a dedicated team to serve Apple.

There’s no word on the main and telephoto sensors, suggesting that these may continue to be made by Sony, and no indication on the reasons for the change.

The most mundane explanation would be that Apple likes to use multiple suppliers for components wherever possible, and that Samsung’s model is just a like-for-like replacement. This provides resilience against production issues, and also puts the company in a stronger negotiating position when it comes to pricing, playing off one supplier against another. This may just be a first step to splitting all camera orders between the two companies.

But the more exciting implication here is that Sony and Samsung won’t just be competing on price, but also on tech. It means both companies are incentivized to find ways to improve both performance and feature set.

A report yesterday indicated that Apple is already planning a variable aperture lens for the iPhone 17, and likely has further improvements in mind. Having two companies competing for its camera business will almost certainly increase the pace of development here.

Image: Apple