Your Next Mid-Range Phone Might Feature Sony’s 100MP Sensor

The next wave of mid-range and some value flagship smartphones might feature Sony's alleged 100MP sensor. According to leakster- Digital Chat Station, the Japanese tech giant is developing its first 100MP mobile camera sensor for mid-range smartphones. The new sensor could be unveiled under the IMX8 series and will most likely be seen on several mid-range smartphones in late 2022.

Notably, the IMX8 series isn't Sony's flagship series and the new sensor will mostly be adopted by smartphones priced under Rs. 45,000. Oppo, Vivo, Realme and OnePlus could feature the alleged sensor in their upcoming handsets. Samsung might also benefit from Sony's upcoming sensor if it plans to ditch its in-house 100MP ISOCELL GN2 sensor.

Samsung has long passed Sony in the megapixel range. The brand has just announced its second-generation 200MP mobile camera sensor, which might make its way on the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S23-series devices. The 200MP ISOCELL HP3 is 12 per cent smaller pixel size than the predecessor and is claimed to feature the industry's smallest 0.56-micrometre pixels.

Samsung's new 200MP sensor works on a Super QPD auto-focusing solution. All of the sensor's pixels are equipped with auto-focusing capabilities to deliver crisp pictures in both good and challenging light conditions. The new Samsung mobile sensor is capable of recording 8K 30fps and 4K 120fps videos. Samsung also mentions that the new 200MP sensor brings significant low-light photography improvements.

Sony's exit from the smartphone market in India was expected as the brand couldn't match the cutthroat competition from Chinese OEMs. However, Sony is still supplying important components to various smartphone brands including the likes of Apple and Samsung.

That said, Sony's upcoming 100MP camera sensor might be behind the megapixel race; however, we expect it to deliver better real-life results than the rival sensors. Based on our camera testing, Sony sensors offer better color science and clarity. Apple also uses Sony's sensors in its iPhones. The iPhone 13 Pro Max uses custom Sony sensors and the real-life results speak for themselves.