Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in an article that the iPhone 16 series will use a stacked rear camera sensor design throughout the product line.
This year’s iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models will feature a 48-megapixel rear camera with a stacked CMOS image sensor (CIS) design that captures more light.
Yield issues with the new sensor design could prevent Apple from adopting it in all iPhone 15 models this year, and while Sony’s high-end CIS production capacity is expected to be tight through 2024, Apple has already secured most of Sony’s orders. Kuo expects high-end CIS (48MP+) shipments to grow at a 50% semi-annualized rate to 36 million wafers in the second half of this year. Of these, Q3 and Q4 shipments will be 16 million and 20 million tablets, respectively.
Ming-Chi Kuo’s revelations that Sony’s tight production capacity will favour its rival supplier Will Semi (Weir) to get more high-end CIS orders from Chinese smartphone brands. Will’s high-end CIS, the main contribution from the OV50A, OV50E, OV50H and OV64B, replaced many Sony orders.
