Samsung is no stranger to gigantic megapixel resolutions on its smartphone camera sensors, and a new rumor claims an astounding leap in megapixel resolution for the future Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra flagship handset.
Leaker Sanju Choudhary (via Digital Trends) posted on X that the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra might feature a 324-megapixel ISOCELL HR1 sensor in the primary camera. If true, it would immediately become one of the largest available megapixel resolutions, nearly doubling the 200 megapixels on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Additionally, he claims that the phone will feature a 3x telephoto camera with a 50MP sensor. The current flagship Samsung phone features a 10MP 3x telephoto camera coupled with a second 50MP periscope telephoto lens, though that lens is rumored to disappear with the S25 Ultra.
Choudhary told Digital Trends, "Production hasn’t kicked in as of now. But the development is almost done according to the sources." He added that the Korean firm's ISOCELL division is also working on a bigger 432MP camera sensor.
In a bit of leaker-on-leaker pushback, fairly accurate tipster Jukanlosreve, responded to Choudhary, saying, "Unfortunately, that’s not true."
During a back and forth, they asserted that the S26 Ultra will feature the same as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The S25 Ultra will supposedly retain the 200MP ultrawide sensor as the S24 Ultra.
It's fairly powerful, and with costs rising, it wouldn't surprise if Samsung tries to eke out a few more years from the 200MP sensor. Plus, it's been rumored that Samsung is looking to get more resolution and quality out photos from the software side, not the hardware.
While a 324-megapixel main camera is probably overkill, it doesn't necessarily mean that Samsung will vault to the top of the best smartphone pile.
This year's Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of our picks for the best camera phone available but in head-to-head showdowns with rivals from Apple and Google — which both feature 48MP main cameras — Samsung's devices have tended to fall just a sliver short, 200 megapixels be damned.
In our 200 photo versus series, the S24 Ultra lost to both the new iPhone 16 Pro Max and last year's iPhone 15 Pro Max. Similarly, when put up against the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, Google's newest phone edged out Samsung's flagship. When compared to last year's Pixel 8 Pro, the contest ended in a draw.
To be clear, Samsung produces a formidable phone with its Ultra line of handsets that camera enthusiasts will enjoy immensely.
But big numbers aren't the end-all, be-all.
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