According to Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s blog post, later this year will launch the low-end iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models will be equipped with a 48-megapixel rear camera lens, using a new stacked sensor design that can capture more light.
Ming-Chi Kuo said that due to low yields of said sensors, supplier Sony has increased its production capacity by 100-120% to meet Apple’s demand, but this has also led to a significant reduction in supply from its Android partners.
Apple first introduced a 48-megapixel camera lens on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max last year, capable of taking 48-megapixel ProRAW photos, with image files retaining more detail for post-editing. In comparison, last year’s iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus used a 12-megapixel camera.
Kuo’s report is consistent with claims made in May by Jeff Pu, an analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities, who said at the time that the 48-megapixel lenses on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus would utilize a new triple-layer sensor that captures more light and improves image quality. pu said at the time that the stacked sensor Pu said at the time that the stacked sensor could face capacity shortages, leading to production delays for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. But Ming-Chi Kuo’s latest report suggests that Apple has already resolved the issue.
Kuo also mentioned that Wale’s high-end CIS (64MP+) orders have grown significantly (since 2H23), as Sony has reduced the supply of high-end Android CIS (contact image sensors), so brand manufacturers need to actively look for alternatives. Weir’s high-end CIS market share is expected to grow significantly from 3-5% in 2023 to 10-15% and 20-25% in 2024 and 2025 respectively, which is favorable for long-term revenue and profit growth. In addition, Huawei will actively cooperate with Steamboat, considering that more and more of Sony’s production capacity and R&D resources will continue to be occupied by Apple. In the second half of the year at the earliest, Huawei’s new high-end model (Mate) will see Steamboat as a high-end CIS supplier.
