Rumor | Sony IMX903 and IMX907 image sensors for next-gen smartphones outlined in more detail

The IMX903 is predicted to emerge as the (arguably long overdue) the main iPhone 16 Pro-grade rear camera upgrade. Now, it has allegedly broken cover in a new specs tip, alongside the equally next-gen IMX907. They are both slated to debut as "dual-layer transistor" CMOS sensors from Sony, although that is where the similarity all but ends.

In this new Weibo post, the IMX903 is given the same 48MP resolution as the IMX803 of the 14 Pro series, whereas the IMX907 has the more on-trend 50MP spec. Neither sensor can apparently hope for the top-end 1-inch size of the IMX989, although they get close with measurements of 1/1.12-inches and 1/1.14-inches respectively.

Both new sensors are slated to have pixels of 1.4 microns (μm) in size; however, the IMX907 may have a sub-pixel matrix of 0.7x0.7μm compared to 0.7x1.4μm in the IMX903, thereby possibly giving the former the edge in terms of light and detail absorption.

The IMX907 might also be faster to find its subject, with quad-pixel AF (QPAF) compared to dual-pixel AF (DPAF) in the IMX903. Nevertheless, the latter is still tipped to be marketed as a new smartphone videography benchmark, with wide dynamic range as well as HDR and Dolby Vision support to boot.

In fact, the famous leaker Digital Chat Station backs the IMX903 to form the premium smartphone camera array to look out for of as of 2024, along with other fast-emerging buzzwords such as compound lenses made of a single molded glass layer to go with 7 more made of plastic (or "1MG+7P") and periscope zoom modules.

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