Sony will reportedly lose its monopoly on supplying camera sensors for the iPhone

Sony's monopoly on supplying image sensors to Apple could end in 2026.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared on X that Samsung is likely to start shipping 1/2.6-inch 48MP ultra-wide CMOS image sensors (CIS) to Apple for the iPhone as early as 2026. Samsung has also reportedly created a team dedicated to serving Apple. This would be the first time in years that the iPhone has an image sensor that isn't from Sony.

Sadly, beyond this nugget of information, details are patchy. Kuo doesn't mention if Samsung would also supply Apple with main and telephoto camera sensors so it's likely Sony will still continue to be the supplier for these camera sensors.

Sony has been Apple's sole supplier of camera image sensors for many years. However, the Japanese company reportedly struggled to meet Apple's camera image sensor orders for the iPhone 15 last year and had to solicit TSMC's help to bolster its production capacity.

Adding a new supplier for CIS will strengthen the resilience of Apple's supply chain against production issues. It will also put the iPhone maker in a better position to negotiate prices between Sony and Samsung. 

Source: @mingchikuo via 9to5Mac

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