Apple is likely to bring a significant upgrade to its iPhone camera system. A recent leak suggests the company is testing a high-resolution sensor for its future iPhone models, indicating a shift toward higher megapixel counts. Details about Apple’s camera upgrade are still unclear, but this approach aligns with the industry trends set by several Android manufacturers in recent years. Brands like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi have already used high-resolution camera sensors for their flagship smartphones.
Apple Said to Be Experimenting With High-Resolution Sensors
Tipster Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese) on Weibo posted that Apple is currently evaluating a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens. This suggests that the iPhone maker is testing high-resolution cameras for future iPhone models. However, this upgrade is unlikely to arrive with the iPhone 18 this year or the iPhone 19 series in 2027.
Photo Credit: Weibo/DCS
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In the comment section, the tipster stated that the first iPhone with a 200-megapixel telephoto camera may not launch until 2028. This sensor, however, would be a massive upgrade over the 48-megapixel sensors used in the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Chinese brands like Honor, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi have adopted 200-megapixel telephoto cameras in their flagship offerings in recent years.Â
Vivo’s X series smartphones have a 200-megapixel telephoto camera. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Galaxy S26 Ultra models also have similar high-resolution telephoto sensors. The 200-megapixel telephoto sensors are also used in handsets, including Oppo Find X9 Pro and Xiaomi 17 Ultra.Â
Previous leaks have suggested that Apple could use a 200-megapixel camera in an iPhone in either 2027 or 2028.
Apple’s current flagship smartphone, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, has a triple rear camera system with a 48-megapixel main camera with OIS, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 48-megapixel telephoto lens with up to 8x optical zoom and 40x digital zoom. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is speculated to retain this rear camera setup.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are rumoured to feature a 24-megapixel front camera, marking an upgrade over the 18-megapixel unit on the iPhone 17 lineup.
