Apple‘s iPhone cameras have consistently ranked among the best in the smartphone industry, thanks in large part to their partnership with Sony for camera sensors. However, things might be changing for the upcoming iPhone 16. According to a report by The Elec, a Korean news outlet, Apple is looking to Samsung as a potential supplier for the main camera sensor in the iPhone 16 series.

This shift from Sony to Samsung is a noteworthy development. It suggests Apple might be dissatisfied with Sony’s offerings, possibly due to concerns about reliability or a lack of cutting-edge technology. The Elec claims that Apple requested new image sensors from Sony last year, but Sony reportedly failed to deliver them on time, causing problems with the iPhone 15 launch schedule.

If Samsung’s sensors meet Apple’s high standards, this could mark a permanent move away from Sony. The report details that Samsung’s sensor boasts a more advanced three-wafer design. Traditional iPhone camera sensors utilize a two-wafer stack, where the photodiode and transistors share the same wafer. Separating these components in a three-wafer design promises better overall photo quality. Benefits include a higher pixel density, reduced noise, and a smaller pixel size, all contributing to sharper and clearer images.

Samsung’s technology also reportedly uses “wafer-to-wafer” bonding, which allows for a more compact sensor size and faster data transfer speeds by eliminating the need for signal transferring bumps.

Beyond the sensor upgrade, rumors suggest the iPhone 16 will see a resolution bump to 48 megapixels, matching the current iPhone 15 Pro. The sensor itself might also be physically larger, measuring 1/1.14 inches, potentially leading to brighter and more vibrant photos.

The iPhone 16 Pro could be further distinguished by a 48-megapixel ultrawide lens, while the standard models might retain the 12-megapixel sensor for another year. Telephoto capabilities on the iPhone 16 Pro might also see an improvement with a 5x optical zoom tetraprism lens. An exciting addition across all four iPhone 16 models is the rumored ability to record spatial video compatible with Apple’s Vision Pro headset.

The iPhone 16 series is expected to be unveiled in September, following Apple’s traditional fall launch window.