50 Mpix for selfies is not enough. 100 Mpix smartphones are coming

A well-known industry informant hiding under the pseudonym Digital Chat Station published interesting data. His entry shows that as many as three different cameras with a resolution of 100 Mpix are being tested in the laboratories. There would be nothing strange about this if it were the main cameras. This time, however, we are talking about modules intended for selfie photos.

Currently, main 200 Mpix matrices and high-resolution telephoto lenses are becoming standard in flagship models. The inclusion of a 100-megapixel front camera would be a significant step forward. The source indicates that manufacturers are working on a specially adapted sensor with smaller pixels. This design is necessary to fit such an advanced system into a small space above the screen or in the display cutout.

Although the informant himself did not directly mention the brand names, market observers already have their picks. There are many indications that Huawei and Oppo are keenly interested in this technology. Both Chinese giants are currently testing new, square front sensors in 1:1 proportions.

It is speculated that this solution may debut in the upcoming series of smartphones. In the case of Huawei, we are talking about the Nova 16 line, known for its emphasis on photographic functions for younger users. Oppo may, however, consider using this sensor in its top models from the Find X10 family.

The market has already seen many smartphones with 100 Mpix or larger cameras. In their cases, however, these were the main units located at the back of the device. Transferring such a resolution to the front of the phone is a completely different category of difficulty.

This requires not only the miniaturization of the optics themselves, but also the provision of adequate computing power to process such large photos. For now, this is unofficial information. We have to wait for the first premieres in 2026 to see whether the high resolution will translate into the actual quality of self-portraits.