Samsung To Produce Advanced iPhone Camera Sensors In US: All You Need To Know

Samsung is set to produce advanced camera sensors for future iPhones at its manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas. This marks a major shift in Apple’s supply chain. The image sensors will reportedly use a three-layer stacked design, stacking circuitry vertically to improve image quality, South Korea-based media outlet The Elec reported.

The new sensors may offer higher pixel density, faster data readout, better low-light performance, and improved power efficiency. Samsung is expected to install production equipment for the project in the near future.

It has posted job listings for mechanical and electrical technicians, engineers and managers to launch the production of image sensors, MacRumours reported. Earlier this month, Samsung told Austin’s city council that it plans to spend $19 billion on its facility.

The new image sensor production line could start operating as early as March 2026. The sensor is likely to be used in the iPhone 18, which is expected in the first half of 2027. As per earlier reports, Apple apparently struck a deal with Samsung in August to supply the component.

“This facility will supply chips that optimise the power and performance of Apple products, including iPhone devices,” Reuters reported in August, citing an Apple statement.

This announcement was part of Apple’s commitment to spend an additional $100 billion in the US, raising its total investment commitment to $600 billion over the next four years.  

For the first time, Apple will move away from relying solely on Sony for iPhone image sensors and produce them in the United States. Currently, Sony is the exclusive supplier for Apple.

It makes the sensors in Japan and ships them through TSMC. The deal with Samsung Electronics marks Apple’s push to diversify its supply chain and localise production in the United States.

According to The Elec report, Samsung plans to use wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding to make the new camera image sensors. Three wafers will be stacked, with separate wafers for the photodiode, transistor and analog/digital converters.

This design lets pixels become smaller while reducing noise, improving overall image quality. In August, Reuters had reported that, besides Apple, Samsung’s chip contract manufacturing business has also secured orders for Tesla chips.