In accordance with a brand new report from Korean outlet ETNews noticed by Android Authority, it’s trying very seemingly that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely will use the 200-megapixel digital camera sensor that the corporate launched final yr. That may be a entire lot of pixels, and Samsung isn’t alone on this latest megapixel arms race — Motorola beat the corporate to the punch with the Motorola X30 Professional. Even Apple, a 12-megapixel digital camera devotee, seems to be like it’ll lastly transfer to larger decision 48-megapixel digital camera sensors with the iPhone 14.

It’s not all about huge numbers; shifting to higher-pixel-count sensors has actual picture high quality advantages. On this chapter of the megapixel race, it’s all about pixel binning. Samsung already employs this with its 108-megapixel sensor, and taking an excellent high-res photograph isn’t the purpose — fairly, combining particular person pixels into four-by-four or two-by-two configurations is.

This new sensor simply takes the know-how a step additional. The 0.64μm pixels on Samsung’s 200-megapixel sensor are comparatively small, contemplating that the pixels on Apple’s latest 12-megapixel sensor measure 1.9μm. However placing 16 of them collectively makes for pixels that are successfully 2.56μm. All issues being equal, greater pixels will accumulate extra mild and make your low-light photographs higher. By default, you get a 12-megapixel remaining picture, so there’s no threat of unknowingly filling up your telephone storage with 200-megapixel pictures.

Nice, proper? There’s a catch — primarily based on rumors proper now, it seems to be like solely the most costly fashions in Samsung and Apple’s lineup will get the high-res sensors: the S23 Extremely and the Professional fashions of the iPhone 14. The remainder of us will simply need to hold making do with 12 (or, when you’re fortunate, 50 megapixels) till high-res sensors trickle on all the way down to the essential flagships.