If Samsung Galaxy S23 gets this epic new camera, then iPhone 14 is in big trouble

If you thought the camera in the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra was pretty smart, then you're going to love the one currently being tipped for inclusion in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

That's because according to a new report Samsung may be the first manufacturer to ship a ground-breaking new 200MP camera. And what's more, this new camera sensor may be even better than the one we thought we'd be seeing.

According to GalaxyClub, as reported by Notebookcheck.net, Samsung is working on a new 200MP CMOS sensor, the ISOCELL HP3. That means it's the successor to the world's first 200MP sensor, Samsung's ISOCELL HP1, which was revealed in 2021.

Now, that sensor has yet to appear in any production smartphone, although it's expected to be in the upcoming Motorola Edge 30 Ultra. The site predicts that the HP3 will at least match the HP1's 1/1.22-inch sensor and specs, and presumably it'll offer improvements in performance too.

When you consider what the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra can do with its 108MP sensor, the prospect of 200MP is more than a little bit thrilling. And if it does end up in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra then, from what we know right now about the iPhone 14 Pro, the Apple flagship would be left massively outgunned (at least on paper).

This is because the iPhone 14 Pro is currently thought to be shipping with a camera system with a primary 48MP sensor. So, if this 200MP sensor does come to Galaxy S23 Ultra, then it would be four times the size of that in the Apple flagship. Now, megapixel stats aren't everything and on their own they don't make great camera systems – but they sure do help and are desired by serious photographers.

Unfortunately, though, despite rumors that the 200MP sensor could debut in the S23 Ultra, right now it's unclear which phones will actually get it, if any.

Samsung's 200MP sensor: will they or won't they?

According to Notebookcheck.net, there are two rival rumours about Samsung's 200MP sensor. Rumour number one says that it's destined for Samsung's next flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. But rumour number two says that the sensor isn't headed for Samsung at all; instead, it's destined for the best Android phones from other manufacturers.

Both things can't be true, and it's hard to imagine Samsung giving its rivals a competitive edge that its own devices won't have. So perhaps there are two sensors here: one for the rivals and one for Samsung itself. That seems the most likely explanation to me: Samsung seems to have taken things as far as they can go after three years of phones packing its 108MP sensor – it first appeared in the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – so an upgraded sensor seems like a likely prospect for the next three generations.

It'll be a while before we know for sure, though: the Samsung Galaxy S22 range launched in February, and its replacements are unlikely to be with us until the same time next year.