Apple is evaluating a 200MP main camera for a future iPhone, according to supply chain chatter shared by the long-running tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo. The sensor under test is said to be a 1/1.12-inch unit, a notably large format for smartphones that could signal Apple’s most aggressive camera hardware shift since moving to a 48MP sensor.
If Apple greenlights the component, the company would not only match Android rivals on resolution but potentially surpass them on light capture. That’s because a 1/1.12-inch 200MP sensor is meaningfully bigger than the 1/1.3-inch 200MP chips used in mainstream flagships, opening the door to brighter, cleaner photos and faster shutter speeds in dim scenes.
While the testing phase does not guarantee a commercial debut, the move underscores how central the camera remains to Apple’s premium strategy. It also hints at a future iPhone with lossless mid-range zoom, oversampled video, and more headroom for Apple’s computational photography pipeline.
What A 200MP Sensor Could Mean For iPhone Photos
A 200MP sensor dramatically expands Apple’s options. With so many photosites, the camera can perform heavy pixel binning—combining multiple pixels into one—for low-noise images while still enabling lossless crops. Practically, that means an iPhone could deliver a clean 4x “optical-grade” crop from the main camera, not just the 2x crop Apple introduced using its 48MP sensor.
Resolution flexibility also benefits ProRAW shooters. Full-res 200MP captures allow deep reframing without crushing detail, while default 12MP or 24MP binned shots keep file sizes and noise under control. For video, higher native resolution provides more data for oversampling and could make features like 8K recording or higher-quality 4K at longer focal lengths feasible, assuming readout speeds and thermals cooperate.
Why Sensor Size Matters More Than The Megapixel Count
Megapixels alone don’t make better photos—sensor size does much of the heavy lifting. Moving to a 1/1.12-inch format yields a roughly one-third larger imaging area than a 1/1.3-inch chip. More area means more light per exposure, which translates into cleaner shadows, improved dynamic range, and less motion blur because the shutter can close sooner in low light.
Typical 200MP sensors use tiny ~0.6μm pixels at the native level. When you combine 16 of them into one (16-in-1 binning), the effective pixel size lands around ~2.4μm. Apple’s current 48MP main camera already bins to ~2.44μm, but pairing that effective pixel pitch with a physically larger 1/1.12-inch sensor would increase total light capture and micro-contrast—key ingredients for natural-looking detail and faithful skin tones.
Larger sensors do, however, demand more from lens design and stabilization. Expect tighter optical tolerances, potentially thicker modules, and more aggressive optical image stabilization to keep micro-jitter in check—areas where Apple has historically invested heavily in custom calibration and sensor-shift tech.
Inside The Sony LYT-901 And The Android Benchmark
The 1/1.12-inch part being tested is widely believed to be Sony’s recently announced LYT-901, part of the LYTIA lineup that uses a stacked, two-layer transistor architecture to improve low-light performance and readout efficiency. Vivo has publicly confirmed it will deploy this sensor in the X300 Ultra, and industry chatter suggests OPPO’s Find X9 Ultra is exploring it as well.
Samsung popularized 200MP on phones, with devices like the Galaxy S24 Ultra using a 1/1.3-inch 200MP sensor. Those cameras already show what high-resolution sensors can do: excellent daylight detail, reliable 2x “in-sensor” zoom, and robust sharpening latitude. A larger 1/1.12-inch alternative would push those strengths further and narrow the gap between smartphone and enthusiast compact cameras in challenging light.
How Apple Might Implement 200MP Without Losing Its Look
Apple’s challenge is more philosophical than technical: scale up sensor specs while preserving the iPhone’s consistent color, tone mapping, and skin rendition across lenses. The company could default to 24MP photos—already a sweet spot in recent models—while offering 12MP for low light and high-efficiency capture, plus full-resolution 200MP ProRAW for creators who want maximum editing headroom.
On the zoom front, expect Apple to market “optical-quality” 4x from the main sensor, alongside a dedicated mid-telephoto for longer reach. Computational fusion—merging frames from multiple cameras—would likely smooth transitions and maintain consistent detail, something Apple has prioritized with features like the Photonic Engine.
Under the hood, a move to 200MP demands serious silicon. Faster multi-gigapixel readouts, noise reduction across many smaller photosites, and complex deconvolution all tax the ISP and neural engines. Apple’s tight hardware–software integration gives it an advantage here, but power draw and heat will be the gating factors, especially for high-bitrate video and long bursts.
Launch Window and the Competitive Stakes Ahead
Digital Chat Station frames the project as active testing rather than a finalized decision, so timing remains fluid. Even so, rising Android competition around the LYT-901—and the emergence of dual 200MP camera arrays on some ultra-premium models—adds pressure for Apple to respond decisively.
Camera leadership is a major lever in the premium market, where Apple already commands the largest share according to Counterpoint Research. A larger 200MP main camera would give Apple a persuasive story on image quality and zoom, strengthening its position without abandoning the color science and reliability that keep iPhone photos looking like iPhone photos.
If Apple brings this sensor to an iPhone, it won’t just be about the number on the box. The win would come from pairing a bigger, faster 200MP platform with Apple’s computational discipline—delivering cleaner low-light, truer detail, and lossless mid-zoom that feels effortless. That, more than raw specs, is how Apple could leapfrog Samsung in everyday photography.