Apple is rumored to equip the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro with numerous camera improvements as is the case with every iPhone generation. Today, a series of rumors circulating on Weibo revealed the extent of what these improvements might look like (via MacRumors).
The rumors are courtesy of a Weibo account that goes by the name “Digital Chat Station.” The leaker claims that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature s custom-made Sony IMX903 main camera sensor, a step up from the IMX803 sensor on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The new sensor measures in at 1/1.14 inches compared to the IMX803’s 1/1.28-inch active sensor area, an improvement of around 12 percent.
The custom iPhone 16 Pro sensor will allegedly feature a stacked design, which was rumored to be heading to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus last year. The purported stacked sensor incorporates a configuration where the photodiode and transistor for each pixel are positioned in two distinct layers, with the former placed atop the latter. In contrast, conventional sensors combine both into one layer, resulting in limited space for both the photodiode and the transistor.
The immediate effects of this stacked design are better light sensitivity and low light performance, allowing as much as twice the amount of light to be absorbed by the sensor compared to conventional cameras. Other improvements include superior dynamic range and lower image noise thanks to larger and separated pixel transistors. The larger sensor should also improve dynamic range, low-light performance, and natural depth of field on the iPhone 16 Pro.
Alongside the new sensor, numerous other improvements are in line including a 14-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) and a Digital Gain Control (DGC) for faster image capturing and lower overall noise.
Apple is also preparing more camera-related upgrades across the entire iPhone 16 lineup. The company is said to be working on a new Capture button with gestures and force-sensing support for things like zooming in and out and manual focus.
