Apple Testing Massive 200MP Camera for Future iPhone Models: Everything We Know

Apple could be planning a huge upgrade for its future iPhone cameras. According to a recent supply chain leak, Apple is currently testing a 200MP camera sensor for a future iPhone. This would mark a massive leap from the 48MP main cameras that current iPhones use. While cramming that many pixels into a tiny iPhone body usually ruins low-light photos, it seems the Cupertino tech giant already has a workaround ready to go.

A larger sensor solves the pixel density problem

Many popular phone makers like Samsung and OPPO already offer phones with 200MP main camera sensors, and now Apple will follow suit with a future iPhone model. However, squeezing 200MP pixels into a standard smartphone camera means the individual pixels get much smaller. For those unaware, smaller pixels capture less light, which typically leads to grainy indoor and night photos.

To fix this common issue, Apple is reportedly increasing the size of the camera sensor itself. The rumored camera sensor measures 1/1.12 inches, making it noticeably larger than the 1/1.28-inch sensor found inside the current iPhone 17 Pro models. Notably, a larger surface area allows the camera lens to capture more light and detail without adding noise to your images.

When can we expect an iPhone to flaunt a 200MP camera sensor?

Earlier reports said Apple would wait until 2028 to introduce an iPhone model with a 200MP camera sensor. However, the new leak claims that the large camera sensor could arrive much sooner, potentially in 2027’s iPhone lineup. The source also suggests Apple could use the same sensor as the upcoming OPPO Find X9 Ultra. OPPO’s offering could have the Sony LYTIA 901 1/1.12-inch sensor.

If Apple is following the same approach as OPPO, then it may not use a 200MP sensor for the main rear camera right away. The company could introduce it first in a telephoto lens, where high resolution can help with zoom and detail capture. This approach would also let Apple balance performance.

It’s worth mentioning that Apple is just testing this large camera sensor. However, it does suggest that the company is at least exploring the same high-megapixel territory that Android phone makers have been pushing into the past few years. For now, we can only wait and watch what Apple has up its sleeves for a large iPhone camera sensor.