Sony Just Raised the 200MP Camera Bar — Your Move, Samsung

Sony has finally stepped into the 200MP smartphone camera race, more than four years after Samsung pioneered the segment. Its newly launched LYTIA 901 is already turning heads with some impressive specs. Early analysis suggests it could outperform any 200MP sensor Samsung has released so far. However, despite the excitement, we may not see this Sony camera inside Galaxy phones.

Sony launches LYTIA 901, its first 200MP smartphone camera

This sensor features a 1/1.12-inch format, making it larger than Samsung’s biggest 200MP sensor, the ISOCELL HP1 (1/1.22-inch). This means we get larger, 0.7µm pixels alongside a QQBC (Quad-Quad Bayer Coding) color array. Sony is also offering all-pixel autofocus, 4x in-sensor zoom for near-optical zoom quality, and 16-in-1 pixel binning to produce brighter 12.5MP shots.

The sensor uses AI-powered remosaicing algorithms to enhance detail, along with a powerful combination of Dual Conversion Gain-HDR (DCG-HDR) and Hybrid Frame-HDR (HF-HDR) to deliver over 100dB dynamic range. It’s similar in concept to Samsung’s Smart ISO Pro and Staggered HDR techniques, but pushes dynamic range even further.

Simply put, the new Sony camera aims to address the core issues of Samsung’s 200MP sensors. The LYTIA 901 should theoretically capture images with lower noise and higher color accuracy in low-light and mixed lighting conditions. However, Samsung doesn’t plan to adopt it in Galaxy phones. The upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to keep the same 1/1.3-inch ISOCELL HP2 sensor (0.6µm) first seen in early 2023.

In fact, noted insider Ice Universe claims that Samsung’s senior management has already scrapped the plan to upgrade the Galaxy S27 Ultra’s main camera to a larger 200MP sensor. The reported reason is cost, as a substantially bigger sensor would drive up production expenses. If true, this would be a major disappointment for fans, and it could even impact sales.

With competitors like Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo gearing up to adopt Sony’s new flagship sensor, pressure is mounting on Samsung to develop its own 1-inch or 1/1.1-inch 200MP ISOCELL alternative. For now, though, the outlook doesn’t seem very encouraging. Fortunately, the Galaxy S27 Ultra is still far off, and Samsung’s plans can change before then. We’ll keep you updated.