Apple has begun developing its own camera sensor for iPhones. This step is considered one of the most significant hardware-level changes Apple has ever made to iPhone camera technology.

Apple is developing its own camera sensor

The new sensor design marks the move of camera hardware production, which Apple had previously outsourced, in-house. Apple had long worked with Sony for camera sensors.

The newly developed sensor represents a concrete step toward reducing external dependency in this area. Similar to the company’s strategy for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, modems, and processors, it appears the company is moving toward integrating the imaging chain entirely within its own ecosystem.

According to technical details in a recently filed patent, the sensor offers an extended dynamic range of approximately 20 stops. This value is significantly higher than the 12 to 14 stops currently available in iPhone models. A 20-stop dynamic range indicates performance approaching the level of today’s cinema cameras.

The key element enabling the sensor to achieve this level is a proprietary technology called LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor). This system allows each pixel to store light differently based on the brightness of the scene. This allows for the processing of details in both bright and dark areas within the same frame without loss.

The new sensor design utilizes a stacked architecture, with a top layer collecting light and a bottom layer performing real-time processing. This structure allows for pixel-level pre-processing on the sensor.

This structure produces less noise and sharper results, especially in images taken in low-light conditions. Photos are processed in hardware before any computational processing is required.

The developed sensor is currently in the internal testing phase, demonstrating that the technology is not just an idea or patent but has become a physical product. It has not yet been confirmed which iPhone model Apple will use this sensor in. However, the upcoming iPhone 17 series is expected to continue using existing Sony sensors.