Apple's Custom Image Sensor Could Debut in 20th Anniversary iPhone
Apple could debut LOFIC camera sensor technology in its 2027 iPhone lineup, according to new information coming out of Korea. The tech would allow iPhones to capture photos with far more detail in both bright and dark areas of the same shot without losing information in either.
LOFIC, or Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor, is a next-generation imaging technology that enables each pixel to store varying amounts of light based on scene brightness. This allows a sensor to capture detail in both bright highlights and dark shadows within a single frame, potentially reaching up to 20 stops of dynamic range – comparable to high-end cinema cameras and approaching the range of human vision.
According to the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, Chinese manufacturers including Honor, Xiaomi, and Huawei plan to adopt LOFIC technology in their 2026 flagship smartphones using new Sony sensors, while OPPO and Vivo are also developing LOFIC-equipped models for release next year. Apple's adoption will reportedly follow in 2027.
Apple first detailed LOFIC in an image sensor patent filed in July, describing a stacked sensor design with a dedicated light-capture layer and a processing layer that handles real-time noise reduction. Apple has reportedly already developed a working prototype and may be testing it in developmental hardware.
Apple currently uses sensors made by Sony across the iPhone lineup. Those sensors also use a two-layer design, but Apple's proposed version includes several innovative features and takes up less space. Based on the adoption roadmap in today's report, Apple could be planning to debut its custom image sensor in the 20th anniversary iPhone. Apple is reportedly considering a radical redesign for the anniversary model that could feature a completely bezel-less display that curves around all four edges of the device.
Popular Stories
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28.
The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
The first foldable iPhone will feature a series of design and hardware firsts for Apple, according to details shared by the Weibo leaker known as Digital Chat Station.
According to a new post, via machine translation, Apple is developing what the leaker describes as a "wide foldable" device, a term used to refer to a horizontally oriented, book-style foldable with a large internal display....
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. iOS 26.2 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon.
Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week.
iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1.
Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21.
There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
Apple released the AirPods Max on December 15, 2020, meaning the over-ear headphones launched five years ago today. While the AirPods Max were updated with a USB-C port and new color options last year, followed by support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio this year, the headphones lack some of the features that have been introduced for newer generations of the regular AirPods and the ...
Last week, details about unreleased Apple devices and future iOS features were shared by Macworld. This week, we learned where the information came from, plus we have more findings from the leak.
As it turns out, an Apple prototype device running an early build of iOS 26 was sold, and the person who bought it shared the software. The OS has a version number of 23A5234w, and the first...
