Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A leaker has claimed Samsung could switch to a Sony main camera for the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus.
- The company has long used Samsung ISOCELL sensors in its flagship phones.
- This doesn’t necessarily mean a hardware upgrade is on the cards for the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus.
We’ve seen loads of Samsung Galaxy S24 rumors already ahead of the expected Q1 2024 launch window. We’ve also seen a trickle of Galaxy S25 leaks, though, and it looks like a tipster has made an interesting camera-related claim regarding the 2025 flagship line.
Leaker Revegnus claimed on X that the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus will drop Samsung ISOCELL sensors as the main camera in favor of a Sony image sensor.
Samsung has generally relied on its in-house ISOCELL sensors for the main camera of its high-end smartphones. For example, the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus reportedly use the 50MP Isocell GN3 (1/1.57-inch sensor size, one-micron pixel size). So this would be a notable change for the brand if confirmed.
Not necessarily an upgrade?
This doesn’t mean the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus will now offer top-flight, one-inch Sony sensors, though. Samsung could theoretically opt to use Sony sensors that are similarly sized as the GN3, such as the IMX890/LYT-700.
Furthermore, there isn’t a huge difference between similar Samsung and Sony sensors. Sony has adopted some interesting hardware tech for its brand-new LYTIA sensors, but Samsung updates the pixel isolation tech on its own sensors every few years for improved image quality.
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Software is equally as important as camera hardware. So a new sensor might not mean much if the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus don’t see significant software improvements too.
It’s a little early for Galaxy S25 series leaks, though. We’d therefore recommend you take this latest leak with plenty of salt. Either way, you might want to temper your expectations for now regarding the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus main cameras, even if these phones use Sony sensors.
The leaker didn’t mention any details regarding the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s main camera, but Sony doesn’t offer a 200MP camera sensor. So it stands to reason that the 2025 Ultra handset will still ship with a Samsung sensor if Samsung wants to use a 200MP sensor.
