High-Resolution Smartphone Sensors Coming Soon

As per a new report from Korean outlet ETNews spotted by Android Authority, it seems very likely that Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra may use the 200-megapixel camera sensor that the company released last year. That's a lot of pixels, and Samsung isn't alone in this new megapixel arms race: Motorola beat the company to the punch with the Motorola X30 Pro. Even Apple, a 12-megapixel camera devotee, looks set to move on to sensors finally. higher-resolution 48-megapixel camera with iPhone 14.

It's not just about big numbers; switching to sensors with higher pixel counts has real image quality benefits. In the megapixel race, it's all about grouping pixels. Samsung already employs this with its 108-megapixel sensor, and taking a super-high-res photo isn't the point, but combining individual pixels in four-by-four or two-by-two configurations.

This new sensor takes the technology one step further. The 0.64μm pixels on Samsung's 200-megapixel sensor are relatively small, considering that the pixels on Apple's newer 12-megapixel sensor measure 1.9μm. But putting 16 of them together results in pixels that are effectively 2.56μm. All things being equal, larger pixels will collect more light and improve your low-light images. By default, you get a final 12-megapixel image, so there's no risk of unknowingly filling up your phone's storage with 200-megapixel photos.

There's a catch: Based on the rumours right now, it looks like only the most expensive models in Samsung and Apple's lineup will get the high-res sensors: the S23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro models. We must keep getting by with 12 (or, if you're lucky, 50-megapixels) until high-resolution sensors make their way into entry-level flagships.