Apple is reportedly working on a 200MP camera for next-generation iPhone: Here’s what we know

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• Apple might add a 200MP camera to iPhones in 2028.
• Samsung is expected to supply the 200MP sensor, possibly made in Austin, Texas
• iPhones to keep 48MP sensors until next hardware upgrade

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Camera upgrades remain a key focus in Apple’s annual iPhone refresh cycle. While recent models have centred on software-driven improvements and sensor refinements, the reported move to a 200MP camera would mark a significant hardware shift. If the timeline holds, the first iPhone with a 200MP sensor could arrive with the 2028 models, widely expected to be branded as the iPhone 21 series.

According to the report, Apple is currently working towards integrating a 200MP sensor but is unlikely to introduce it before 2028. This suggests that the upcoming iPhone generations, including models expected in 2026 and 2027, will continue to use existing camera hardware. Apple currently relies on 48MP sensors across its main, ultra-wide, and telephoto cameras, a setup introduced to balance higher detail capture with computational photography features such as pixel binning.

The report indicates that Samsung is expected to supply the 200MP camera sensor for the future iPhone models. Despite being competitors in the smartphone market, Apple and Samsung have a long-standing supplier relationship across displays, memory, and other components. The Morgan Stanley note also suggests that these sensors could be manufactured at Samsung’s facility in Austin, Texas, aligning with Apple’s broader efforts to diversify and localise parts of its supply chain.

What this means for future iPhones

For users, the move to a 200MP camera could eventually enable higher-resolution photography and greater flexibility in image cropping and digital zoom. However, Apple is expected to continue prioritising image processing, consistency, and real-world usability rather than focusing solely on megapixel counts. Until 2028, incremental camera updates and software-driven enhancements are likely to remain the company’s primary approach.