While we're almost a year away from the next iPhone launch, leaks and rumors about the next-gen devices have already started cropping up. Over the last few weeks, we've learned that the iPhone 15 series could feature an updated design with a curved back. We've also seen reports suggesting that the Pro variants might not have any physical buttons and feature a faster USB-C port than the non-Pro variants. A new report now claims that the upcoming lineup will feature a state-of-the-art image sensor from Sony.

According to Nikkei Asia, components manufacturers familiar with Sony's plans say the company will supply Apple with its latest image sensor for the next-gen iPhone models. Sony Semiconductor Solutions will reportedly manufacture the sensor at its Nagasaki plant and ship it to Apple and other OEMs sometime next year.

This new image sensor reportedly "doubles the saturation signal level in each pixel compared with conventional sensors. In other words, the sensor can capture more light and reduce overexposure or underexposure in certain settings, enabling a smartphone camera to clearly photograph a person's face even if the subject is standing against a strong backlight."

While the report doesn't highlight the name of the new sensor, its description matches Sony's first stacked CMOS image sensor that debuted late last year. Unlike conventional image sensors, which place photodiodes and pixel transistors on the same substrate, the stacked CMOS image sensor "adopts a stacked structure consisting of a pixel chip made up of back-illuminated pixels stacked atop a logic chip where signal processing circuits are formed. Within the pixel chip, photodiodes for converting light to electrical signals, and pixel transistors for controlling the signals are situated alongside each other on the same layer."

In essence, the stacked architecture doubles the light-gathering capacity of the image sensor. If Apple does indeed use this new Sony image sensor on the iPhone 15 series, you can expect to see a significant improvement in low-light performance.

Source: Nikkei Asia