Wild Rumor Claims a Nearly 1-Inch Size 200MP Sony Camera for Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung might be gearing up for a major camera shakeup with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. According to a new rumor, the company is considering a switch from its in-house ISOCELL sensor to a Sony-made 200MP “large” sensor for the phone’s primary camera. If true, this could mean big things for mobile photography.

Galaxy S26 Ultra may feature a 200MP Sony camera

Samsung has historically used its in-house ISOCELL camera sensors on Galaxy flagships. The Galaxy S25 Ultra features the ISOCELL HP2, a 200MP sensor also used on the S24 Ultra and S23 Ultra. It is a 1/1.3-inch sensor with 0.6µm pixels. However, for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung may switch to a 1/1.1-inch 200MP Sony camera. Details are scarce, but it is allegedly shaping up to be the “strongest” smartphone camera yet.

The rumor originated on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo, and so far, no other credible industry sources have backed the claim. So, while it’s intriguing, we’d advise taking it with a healthy dose of skepticism. That said, it’s no secret that Samsung’s Ultra flagships have started to lag behind in the smartphone camera race. If the company wants to reclaim the crown, a bold move like this might be exactly what’s needed.

As such, we wouldn’t be surprised if this claim turns out to be true. Many rival firms have switched to 1-inch sensors, so this unnamed Sony camera might be a perfect fit fr the Galaxy S26 Ultra. A bigger sensor can capture more light, resulting in better low-light performance, faster shutter speeds, and improved dynamic range.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Samsung has been linked to Sony camera sensors for its 2026 flagships. Earlier rumors suggested that the smaller S26 models might adopt Sony-made 50MP sensors. As for the Ultra, while leaks consistently pointed to a 200MP primary camera, they stopped short of revealing the sensor. Whether Samsung truly plans to make the leap to Sony hardware remains to be seen, but if true, it could signal a major shift in the company’s imaging strategy.