One of the bullet points in Apple’s announcement of its increased US manufacturing spend made a big, but very non-specific, claim.Apple said that it was working with Samsung on an “innovative new technology which has never been used before anywhere in the world.” Although the company was being mysterious, we likely know what that means – and it’s great news not just for the iPhone 18, but also for future iPhones beyond it … The full statement – all two sentences of it – was as vague as it was bold: A new camera sensor for the iPhone 18 While Apple didn’t reveal anything more, analysts seem fairly confident that this refers to image sensors for iPhone 18 cameras.Specifically, there have been multiple reports that Samsung is working on a triple-layer stacked image sensor for the iPhone 18.
A stacked sensor is where the processing electronics are mounted to the back of the sensor in order to handle light capture and image processing on separate layers of the same chip.This results in a faster response time as well as higher image quality.Current sensors use dual-layer stacking, but the next stage in this evolution is triple layer sensors, as seen in the above slide from a Sony presentation.
Photodiode, to capture the light and convert it to an electrical signal Pixel transistor, to amplify the signal Logic chip, to handle the image processing This would further enhance the benefits of a layered sensor with even faster performance and better processing for reduced noise.This is consistent with Apple’s description of chips that optimize both power and performance, and both Sony and Samsung are known to be developing this technology.A report claims to confirm this is indeed the deal Apple references.
Good news for the iPhone 18 and beyond If the iPhone 18 is indeed confirmed to be getting a triple-layer sensor, that’s obviously good news for next year.But the fact that Apple is turning to Samsung after many years of relying exclusively on Sony for its camera sensors is also excellent news for future iPhones.It means that the two companies which hold a joint lead in advanced sensor technology for smartphones will be competing head-to-head for Apple’s future business.
Both companies will be fully incentivized to innovate as rapidly as possible, seeking to outdo each other in terms of image quality and performance.Apple and iPhone owners will be the joint winners of this battle. You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day.
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