Apple Says Samsung Is Powering the iPhone 18 Camera

Apple and Samsung rarely team up. But now, they’re building what could be the iPhone’s most powerful camera ever.

Apple just announced a $100 billion U.S. manufacturing push. Buried in the announcement was a key detail: Apple confirmed Samsung’s Austin fab will develop a brand-new chip for iPhones. While it didn’t mention specifics, multiple Korean reports suggest this tech is actually for Apple’s next-gen camera sensors.

Until now, Sony has supplied all camera sensors for iPhones. But that monopoly might be over.

Inside the iPhone 18’s New Samsung Camera 

Samsung is reportedly building an advanced three-layer CMOS image sensor (CIS) for Apple at its Austin fab. If all goes as planned, the iPhone 18 could leap from the current 48MP camera to a massive 200MP sensor, matching Samsung’s own Galaxy Ultra lineup.

The timeline fits, too. Production is set to start in March 2026, lining up with the iPhone 18 launch window.

What makes this new camera sensor special is how it’s built. Instead of a single wafer, Samsung is stacking three wafers, each handling different parts of the sensor like photodiodes, transistors, and ADCs (analog-to-digital converters). This wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding tech helps reduce noise, shrink pixels, and improve low-light performance. Only Sony and Samsung currently have the tech to pull this off at scale.

Why Apple Picked Samsung Over Sony

This move also fits perfectly with Apple’s U.S. localization strategy. With potential U.S. semiconductor tariffs coming soon, building chips locally makes sense. Sony only makes its sensors in Japan, which may not keep up with Apple’s growing U.S.-focused supply chain plans. That’s likely a big reason Apple turned to Samsung.

Interestingly, Apple and Samsung reportedly started talking back in 2024. The deal was finalized this year, and Apple’s press release now makes it official: Samsung is helping develop Apple’s next big chip breakthrough.

Some analysts believe Samsung will be responsible not just for the main sensor but also for the iPhone 18’s new ultrawide camera. That could mean we’re in for a major camera upgrade across the board next year.

It’s also a smart move for Samsung. The Korean giant has been expanding its global chip deals, first Tesla, now Apple, and it might even be in talks with Qualcomm next. Partnering with Apple helps fill its fabs and also secures a foothold in U.S. manufacturing amid rising geopolitical tensions.

All that said, don’t expect these new sensors in the iPhone 17 launching this September. The Samsung-powered camera tech is still in development and strictly for the iPhone 18 and beyond.