Samsung makes various electronic consumer products and multiple smartphone components to sell to other companies. Samsung is the largest Android Smartphone manufacturer. It is not only smartphones; they have various divisions for other electronic items like RAMs, SSDs, and much more.
One such division is the Samsung ISOCELL division. This division deals with the manufacturing of camera sensors for smartphones. These proprietary lenses are sold to other companies, and this ISOCELL division competes with other companies like Omnivision and Sony, which also make smartphone camera sensors.
After learning this, one would expect Samsung to use its camera sensors for its phones. If you also think this, you’re right- most Samsung phones use Samsung’s own ISOCELL camera sensors in their phones. The latest S24 Ultra uses a 200MP in-house Samsung sensor. Their telephotos are also from the same ISOCELL division.
Currently, the most expensive Samsung phone that uses ISOCELL sensors is the Galaxy Z Fold 5. It has a 50MP Samsung GN3 Sensor.
However, this might change soon. According to a new report, Samsung might switch to Sony sensors for some Galaxy phones. Sony Semiconductor Solutions manufactures these camera sensors. They might move their plant from Japan to South Korea to help Samsung.
Additionally, they seem to have discussed plans for the packaging and inspection process with various South Korean giants like ASE Korea, LB Semicon, Doosan Tesna (NGion), and ALT. Signs of these changes are apparent on some newer Samsung models. The Galaxy A55 has a 1/1.56″ primary sensor- probably the Sony IMX 766 sensor.
We’re not sure why Samsung is doing this, but it’s probably because of the need to eventually access Sony’s Stacked Sensor technology. Samsung currently lacks this on their phones, but the latest iPhone 15 has this technology. They also do not yet have a publicly available 1″ primary sensor, and they might want better relations with Sony to obtain some of this sensor technology for their smartphones.
Earlier reports hinted that Samsung might switch to Sony image sensors for the Galaxy S25 and S25+.
