Reports indicate that Sony's mobile CMOS core factory is experiencing yield issues, and in 2027, Samsung camera sensors are expected to be used in Apple iPhones for the first time.

IT之家, March 18 report: According to a March 16 report by the South Korean media outlet NewDaily, Sony’s core semiconductor business—CMOS image sensors—has encountered yield issues, causing industry-wide tensions to intensify. In particular, delays in improving the yield of the core factory that produces sensors for Apple iPhone may affect Apple’s supply chain.

The report cites semiconductor industry sources as saying that Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Sony’s semiconductor subsidiary, has run into difficulties improving the yield of its latest CMOS image sensors produced at its Nagasaki Technical Center (TEC) in Japan. This plant is a core production base for smartphone image sensors, responsible for more than 80% of the sales volume of Sony’s smartphone sensors. It is a strategic manufacturing facility. It is understood that sensors used in products for the U.S. market, including Apple iPhone, are also produced by this factory.

If the yield issues become prolonged, it may lead to supply problems for major customer Apple. It is reported that Sony is currently investing a large amount of manpower and other measures to address the yield problems.

The report also mentioned that the global image sensor market is currently dominated by Sony. According to data from market research firm Omdia, as of last year the market share was: Sony 51.6%, Samsung Electronics 15.4%, and OmniVision 11.9%. Especially for sensors used in iPhones, they are actually exclusively supplied by Sony.

But recently, Apple has been pushing supply chain diversification, and the market landscape has started to change as well. Previously, Apple announced that it would jointly develop new semiconductor production technology with Samsung Electronics at a facility in Austin, Texas, in the United States. Industry observers believe that this semiconductor technology is very likely intended for image sensors used in iPhones.

IT之家 notes that Samsung Electronics has its own image sensor brand “ISOCELL,” and was the first to develop the world’s first 200-megapixel sensor. The report says there are predictions that the iPhone, slated to be released as early as 2027, may be equipped with Samsung image sensors.

A blogger, @数码闲聊站, posted in January this year that Apple’s iPhone 18 is expected to launch in Q1 2027, and this year in September it will only bring the iPhone 18 Pro series and the first clamshell-folding iPhone Fold. Basically, they are all in the ten-thousand-yuan price-tier.

Combined with the South Korean media’s disclosures, it is expected that the Apple iPhone 18 or the iPhone 19 Pro, to be released in 2027, may be equipped with Samsung image sensors.