Summary
- Apple may launch a proprietary LOFIC sensor in 2027, with light and shadow capture close to human vision.
- According to the YMCinema website, Apple has already patented the technology, whose document shows a stacked sensor with two layers and per-pixel noise reduction.
- The launch would coincide with the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, which would gain a new commemorative model with a curved screen design on all four edges.
Apple may introduce a new proprietary image sensor technology known as LOFIC into the 2027 iPhones. The news would arrive amid the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the smartphone’s launch.
The acronym refers to Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor. According to the MacRumorsthis technology allows each individual pixel on a sensor to store varying amounts of light based on the intensity of the scene’s brightness, capturing images with a much higher level of dynamic range, close to human vision.
If implemented, iPhone sensors could achieve up to 20 stops of dynamic range. For comparison, most current smartphone cameras operate between 10 and 13 stops. The dynamic range of the human eye, in turn, is estimated between 20 and 30 points. A sensor with 20 points would not only outperform current devices, but also rival professional cinema cameras.
Apple has already registered the patent
The basis for the new sensor has already been patented by Apple, according to the portal YMCinema. In June this year, the website revealed the document, titled “Image sensor with stacked pixels with high dynamic range and low noise”.
The design detailed in the patent consists of a two-layer stacked sensor. The top layer, called the sensor matrix, contains the components that capture light. The bottom layer, the logic matrix, is responsible for processing, including exposure control and noise reduction.
In addition to the LOFIC system for managing high-contrast scenes, the company’s patented design focuses on noise reduction. Each pixel would have its own integrated memory circuit designed to measure and cancel heat-related electronic noise in real time. This process would occur directly on the chip, even before the image was sent for software processing by the device.
And the commemorative iPhone?
The launch of the proprietary sensor in 2027 could coincide with the 20th anniversary of the iPhone’s launch, and Apple could use the date to introduce a complete redesign. According to the South Korean website ETNewsthe company plans to adopt a screen with four-edge bending, completely eliminating visible frames.
The new design would require overcoming technical challenges, such as integrating the front camera, Face ID and speakers under the screen. According to the The Informationthe iPhone 18 Pro, scheduled for 2026, can now feature Face ID under the display, leaving just a small hole for the camera.
Still, Apple may not be the first to use LOFIC technology. According to leaker yeux1122, Chinese manufacturers such as Honor, Xiaomi and Huawei plan to adopt the feature in 2026, using Sony sensors. OPPO and Vivo (Jovi, in Brazil) would also be developing models with LOFIC for next year.
However, the Cupertino giant may be the first to apply it to its own sensor. The arrival of the technology on the iPhone in 2027 reinforces reports that Apple is working on this, reducing dependence on Sony. According to publications on Weibo, the project would already be in the testing phase on hardware prototypes.
Source: https://tecnoblog.net/noticias/apple-pode-estrear-sensor-de-camera-proprio-em-iphone-comemorativo/
