Apple is evaluating a 200 MP camera for the iPhone; it’s the same as the vivo X300 Ultra

For some time, Android device manufacturers have been challenging each other with megapixels. Brands like Motorola and Samsung were the first to embrace the 200 MP sensors, quickly followed by other big Asian names in the sector, including Xiaomi, Honor, OPPO and vivo.

Until now, Apple has preferred a more conservative approach, increasing the resolution of its devices with some caution.

However, recent information from supply chain corridors suggests that future iPhones could soon join the race towards extreme resolutions.

iPhone with a 200 MP camera? Apple is thinking about it

The well-known informant Digital Chat Station has posted on the platform Weibo an interesting piece of news: California engineers would be testing the implementation of a 200 MP main camera for the company’s upcoming devices.

The details that emerged outline a high-end hardware profile. The sensor currently under evaluation has dimensions of 1/1.12″, features that directly recall the recent Sony LYT-901.

It’s not a novel or exclusive module: vivo has already formally confirmed the use of this exact component for the main camera of its upcoming X300 Ultra, while OPPO is expected to integrate it on the future Find X9 Ultra.

The comparison with the current generation highlights a significant size jump. To have a solid reference, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra uses a 200 MP sensor with a diagonal of 1/1.3″. The solution Apple is examining is therefore significantly larger, a physical difference that translates into precise optical consequences.

Advantages of the large format

The benefits derived from such a large photosensitive surface deeply affect the final rendering of the shots. A 1/1.12″ component guarantees capturing much more light, translating into brighter photographs, rich in micro-details and characterized by minimal digital noise.

In low ambient light conditions, the high sensitivity allows for shorter exposure times for the shutter, drastically reducing the risk of blurry shots.

From the perspective of everyday versatility, the enormous amount of pixels available enables high-quality 4x zoom almost without information loss, simply by cropping directly from the center of the photographic module.

Users would also have the possibility to shoot at full resolution and then freely intervene in post-production, extracting portions of the image without compromising sharpness, while still requiring a dedicated telephoto lens, preferably between 3x and 5x, for shots at greater focal distances.

And what about the competition?

Currently, tests conducted in California laboratories do not guarantee a certain or immediate debut on the global market. Sources close to the supply chain indicate that, if the evaluation phase yields results technicians expect, this technology could appear only next year, presumably aboard the iPhone 19 series.

In the meantime, major Asian competitors are not waiting. Hardware companies like vivo are already bringing to market camera configurations that include as many as two 200 MP cameras on the same phone, extending the enormous resolution even to the telephoto lens.

The competition in mobile photography remains extremely lively, pushing the capabilities of optics and semiconductors to the limit.