Samsung's plan to develop a 600MP smartphone camera sensor may finally be coming to fruition.
Earlier in the year, Executive Vice President of Samsung's sensor business unit Yongin Park penned an editorial, expressing the company's wish to create a sensor that can go beyond the human eye. For the nerds in us, the resolution of the human eye is said to be around 576 megapixels.
As Park explained in his write up, increasing the megapixel count is not as easy as it may sound. Cramming too many pixels on a sensor would require a size increase and reducing the size of individual pixels would make images dull.
The 600MP sensor that Samsung is seemingly working on features 0.8µm pixels and it is 1/0.57" big. There is a lot more work to be done because this particular sensor would take up 12 percent of a smartphone's area and it would also result in a 22mm bulge.
For reference, the Galaxy Note 20 is 8.3mm thick, and it goes without saying that a 22mm camera bump would look a little too out of place.
Why is Samsung intent on delivering a 600MP sensor?
After all, a higher megapixel count doesn't necessarily guarantee better pictures, which is probably the reason why Apple and Google are not engaging in megapixel wars.
Well, the South Korean giant had previously said that higher resolution sensors could have applications outside of smartphone photography, such as detecting potentially life-threatening diseases and improving quality control in industries like agriculture.
As for what's in it for average smartphone users, a 600MP sensor will seemingly be able to shoot 4K and 8K videos with more zoom versatility.
Samsung will reportedly employ the trusty ISOCELL pixel binning technology once again to make sure the camera bump doesn't get too big.
We wouldn't be surprised if Samsung reduces pixel size further, as the company was the first to introduce sensors with 0.7μm pixels in 2019, something which was supposedly deemed impossible by its competitors.
It could be a while before a 600MP sensor is commercialized, and we may see 150MP and 250MP units precede its arrival. For now, we will have to make do with the 108MP camera, which is set to make a return with the upcoming Galaxy S21 apparently.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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