Samsung might finally be ready to stop recycling the same main camera hardware on its standard Galaxy S phones, which it introduced with the Galaxy S22. GalaxyClub reports that some Galaxy S27 and Galaxy S27+ prototypes are being tested with a new 50MP Sony sensor for the main camera.
Such a move would break Samsung’s long-running preference for its own ISOCELL hardware in the primary cameras of Galaxy S phones, even if the resolution remains unchanged.
What could change with the main camera?
The Galaxy S27 and S27+ are still expected to use a 50MP main camera, but megapixels only tell part of the story. A newer Sony sensor could capture more light, improve dynamic range, reduce noise, and give Samsung’s image processing better raw data to work with.
Samsung has managed to improve photo quality across several generations through better software, newer processors, and more advanced computational photography. Still, there is only so much processing can do when the underlying sensor barely changes. A new main sensor would therefore be a welcome upgrade, especially after an earlier report suggested the standard Galaxy S27 could reuse much of the same camera hardware again.
There is still no guarantee that the Sony sensor will make it into the final phones. The S27 series is also still early in development, leaving plenty of time for these plans to change.
What about the rest of the cameras?
The main camera may be changing, but the ultrawide appears far less exciting. GalaxyClub says the Galaxy S27 and S27+ are expected to keep a 12MP ultrawide camera. Samsung may be saving the larger upgrades for the more expensive models. Previous reports suggest the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra could feature 50MP ultrawide and telephoto cameras, along with a new 16MP selfie camera.
If these reports hold up, the standard Galaxy S27 models could finally get a better main camera while their secondary hardware stays familiar. I will believe the Sony switch when Samsung makes it official, but it is at least a more encouraging rumor than another year of unchanged sensors.