Igeekphone News August 8, 2026 — Xiaomi is reportedly developing a custom 200-megapixel 1-inch camera sensor for its next-generation flagship smartphones, potentially setting the stage for another major leap in mobile photography.

According to information shared by a Chinese tech blogger, Xiaomi has customized a new 200MP sensor with a 1-inch optical format. Interestingly, the sensor is said to use an aspect ratio different from the traditional 4:3 format commonly found on smartphone image sensors.

The blogger also suggested that Xiaomi could potentially skip the rumored Xiaomi 18 Ultra, meaning the new sensor may not debut until the Xiaomi 19 Ultra.

If the report proves accurate, Xiaomi could once again be preparing to push the boundaries of smartphone camera hardware, particularly in the increasingly competitive ultra-premium flagship segment.

Xiaomi Could Be Preparing Another 1-Inch Camera Breakthrough

Xiaomi has a strong history with large-format smartphone camera sensors.

In July 2022, the company introduced the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, which became the first commercially available smartphone to use Sony’s IMX989 1-inch mobile image sensor.

The sensor was jointly developed by Xiaomi and Sony, with the two companies reportedly sharing the development costs equally.

At the time, Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun said the company would make the sensor available to other smartphone manufacturers after its own launch. The move helped accelerate the adoption of large-format camera sensors throughout the smartphone industry.

Why Does a 1-Inch Smartphone Sensor Matter?

The main advantage of a larger image sensor is its ability to capture more light.

In general, a larger photosensitive area can collect more light during an exposure, which can improve image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions.

The Sony IMX989 used in the Xiaomi 12S Ultra featured a Quad Bayer pixel architecture with individual pixels measuring approximately 1.6 microns. Through pixel binning, four adjacent pixels can be combined to produce an effective pixel size of around 3.2 microns.

This design allows the sensor to gather significantly more light while maintaining strong image detail.

Compared with the sensor used in the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the IMX989 was reported to provide a substantially larger photosensitive area and improved light-gathering capability.

The difference becomes particularly noticeable in low-light photography, where larger sensors can help produce cleaner images with less noise and improved dynamic range.

Xiaomi Continues to Bet on Large Sensors

The 1-inch sensor strategy has remained an important part of Xiaomi’s Ultra-series photography philosophy.

Last year, Xiaomi introduced the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, which reportedly continued the company’s use of a 1-inch-class main camera sensor.

This made it unusual among Android flagship smartphones in the same premium category, as several competing manufacturers moved toward other sensor formats and multi-camera configurations rather than continuing with a 1-inch main sensor.

Xiaomi’s willingness to maintain the large-sensor approach suggests that the company sees sensor size as an important differentiator in the premium smartphone market.

200MP Could Take the Concept Further

The rumored new sensor could represent an even more ambitious approach.

A 200MP resolution combined with a 1-inch sensor would provide Xiaomi with a significantly higher native pixel count while retaining the light-gathering advantages associated with a large sensor.

However, resolution and sensor size alone do not determine image quality.

The final results would also depend on the sensor’s pixel architecture, pixel size, readout technology, lens design, image signal processor, computational photography algorithms, autofocus system, and image-processing software.

A 200MP sensor could nevertheless offer several potential advantages.

At native resolution, it could capture a large amount of image information. Through pixel binning, it could also generate lower-resolution images with larger effective pixels, potentially improving low-light performance while maintaining sufficient detail.

The combination could give Xiaomi greater flexibility between high-resolution photography and computationally enhanced low-light shooting.

Unusual Aspect Ratio Could Be Significant

Another intriguing detail from the leak is that the rumored sensor reportedly does not use the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio.

Most smartphone camera sensors are designed around a 4:3 native imaging format, although manufacturers can crop images into other aspect ratios.

A different native aspect ratio could indicate that Xiaomi is pursuing a customized sensor architecture designed specifically around its imaging system.

At this stage, however, there is not enough information to determine exactly how the unusual aspect ratio would affect the camera experience.

It could be related to image composition, sensor utilization, cropping flexibility, or integration with a particular lens and camera module.

Xiaomi 19 Ultra Could Be the First Device

The timing of the rumored sensor is also noteworthy.

The blogger reportedly hinted that the Xiaomi 18 Ultra may not launch, which would potentially push the debut of the new 200MP 1-inch sensor to a future Xiaomi 19 Ultra.

That means the rumored sensor could be several product cycles away from commercial availability.

As with other unconfirmed smartphone leaks, the final product name, launch schedule, sensor specifications, and camera configuration could all change before an official announcement.

Xiaomi has not publicly confirmed the existence of the rumored 200MP 1-inch sensor.

From IMX989 to a Custom 200MP Sensor

Xiaomi’s progression in large-format mobile photography is worth watching.

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra demonstrated that a 1-inch sensor could be successfully integrated into a mass-market smartphone. Since then, large camera sensors have become increasingly common among premium Android devices.

A move to a customized 200MP 1-inch sensor would represent another step in that evolution.

Rather than simply adopting an off-the-shelf component, Xiaomi could be moving toward more extensive control over sensor design and imaging hardware.

That approach could become increasingly important as smartphone camera competition shifts from simply increasing megapixel counts to optimizing the entire imaging pipeline.

What a 200MP 1-Inch Sensor Could Mean for Smartphone Photography

If Xiaomi successfully commercializes the rumored sensor, it could potentially offer several advantages:

• Higher native resolution for detailed photography
• Large light-gathering area from the 1-inch sensor format
• Improved low-light performance
• Greater cropping flexibility
• Advanced pixel-binning capabilities
• More computational photography possibilities
• Potentially stronger dynamic range and image quality

However, the real-world performance will depend heavily on Xiaomi’s lens, image processing, autofocus technology, and software tuning.

Final Thoughts

Xiaomi has already played a significant role in bringing 1-inch camera sensors into mainstream smartphones, and the reported development of a custom 200MP 1-inch sensor suggests that the company may be preparing another ambitious move in mobile imaging.

If the rumors surrounding the Xiaomi 18 Ultra’s absence prove correct, the sensor could eventually debut with the Xiaomi 19 Ultra, potentially giving the company’s next Ultra flagship a major camera advantage.

The most interesting aspect may not be the 200MP resolution itself, but the combination of very high resolution, a 1-inch sensor format, and a customized aspect ratio.

For now, the technology remains unconfirmed. But if Xiaomi can successfully bring such a sensor to market and pair it with strong optics and computational photography, the Xiaomi 19 Ultra could become one of the most ambitious camera phones in its generation.

The post Xiaomi Reportedly Developing Custom 200MP 1-Inch Camera Sensor for Future Ultra Flagship appeared first on IGeeKphone China Phone, Tablet PC, VR, RC Drone News, Reviews.

FaceTime Dual Capture is bringing simultaneous front-and-rear camera streaming to video calls in iOS 27, allowing compatible iPhones to show the caller and their surroundings without repeatedly switching between cameras.

The feature expands technology Apple introduced with the iPhone 17 family. Dual Capture already allows the Camera app to record through the Center Stage front camera and a rear camera at the same time. iOS 27 brings a similar capability directly into live FaceTime calls.

During a call, the front camera can continue showing the speaker while the rear camera displays whatever the iPhone is pointing toward. Someone attending a concert can share the performance and remain visible. A parent can show a child playing without disappearing from the conversation. A person asking for technical assistance can remain on screen while directing the rear camera toward the equipment causing the problem.

Dual Capture removes the awkward sequence of switching to the rear camera, showing something, and switching back to continue speaking face to face. Both perspectives remain available inside the same call.

FaceTime Dual Capture Changes Camera Switching

The normal FaceTime camera control changes from a simple front-or-rear choice on supported iPhones. When the caller activates the rear camera, iOS 27 keeps the front camera visible by default.

The main view displays the rear camera feed while a smaller window contains the front camera image. This picture-in-picture arrangement gives the other participant a continuous view of the caller’s reaction, commentary, or explanation.

To activate both cameras during a supported FaceTime call:

FaceTime > Start a video call > Tap the Flip button

Tapping the Flip button turns on the rear camera without immediately removing the front view. The other participant begins receiving both perspectives as part of the FaceTime stream.

The caller can disable the front view when it is no longer needed. This provides a conventional rear-camera presentation for situations where the surroundings should occupy the complete image.

To return to a single camera view:

FaceTime > Tap the camera view > Disable the front camera

The exact labels and placement may change before the public release of iOS 27 because the feature is still being tested in beta software. Its basic behavior is already established: the Flip control activates the rear camera while retaining the front camera feed.

Dual Capture does not create two independent FaceTime calls. Both images belong to one video stream, so the caller does not need a second account, device, or invitation.

The feature also differs from screen sharing. FaceTime screen sharing transmits applications and interface activity from the iPhone display. Dual Capture transmits live video from two physical cameras.

Which iPhones Support Dual Capture

Apple has limited FaceTime Dual Capture transmission to the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. Each model includes Apple’s 18MP Center Stage front camera and the Dual Capture capability introduced in the Camera app.

An older iPhone that supports iOS 27 cannot originate a Dual Capture stream. It continues to use the normal option of selecting either the front camera or a rear camera during a call.

Older models can still receive and display a Dual Capture feed when they are running iOS 27. This allows an iPhone 16 or another supported device to see both views transmitted from an iPhone 17, even though it cannot send the same presentation back.

Both participants need iOS 27 for the new FaceTime layout to work as intended. The transmitting device must also be one of the supported iPhone 17-generation models.

This limitation is based on Apple’s official feature support rather than the simple presence of front and rear cameras. Earlier iPhones have camera hardware capable of operating in several multi-camera applications, but Apple has not extended its native Dual Capture implementation to them.

Third-party applications have offered forms of simultaneous multi-camera recording for years through Apple’s developer frameworks. The difference is that iOS 27 integrates the experience into FaceTime, where users can activate it through the familiar camera-switching control.

iPhone 17 Owners Receive a Second Dual Capture Feature

Describing FaceTime Dual Capture as retro-compatible with the iPhone 17 does not fully explain its relationship with the hardware. The iPhone 17 family introduced Apple’s native Dual Capture recording in 2025, and iOS 27 now gives that existing camera system another purpose.

Inside the Camera app, Dual Capture produces a saved video containing front and rear views. Apple lists support for recording at up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 frames per second on the iPhone 17.

FaceTime uses the camera pairing for live communication instead. Network quality, bandwidth, device temperature, and FaceTime processing can affect the transmitted resolution, so users should not assume that a call will preserve the Camera app’s maximum 4K recording specification.

The Center Stage front camera also contributes more than resolution. Its square sensor gives the iPhone greater freedom to adjust framing without requiring the device to be physically rotated. Center Stage can help keep the caller positioned inside the smaller front-camera view while the rear camera follows the subject being shared.

That combination makes Dual Capture more useful than placing two untreated camera feeds beside each other. FaceTime can preserve the speaker’s presence while directing most of the screen toward the event, object, or location being discussed.

The feature may require more processing power and energy than an ordinary single-camera call. Running two camera sensors while encoding and transmitting live video can increase battery consumption and device temperature, especially during long calls over cellular data.

Apple has not published separate battery estimates for Dual Capture FaceTime calls. Users planning extended sessions may want access to power and a stable Wi-Fi connection.

iOS 27 Prepares FaceTime for iPhone 18

FaceTime Dual Capture arrives shortly before Apple’s expected iPhone 18 generation, making it likely to become part of how the company demonstrates the new phones’ camera and communication abilities.

Apple has not announced the iPhone 18 lineup or confirmed its final camera specifications. Compatibility with FaceTime Dual Capture is therefore expected from the software’s “iPhone 17 and newer” positioning, but individual iPhone 18 models should not be treated as confirmed until Apple presents them.

The software release gives existing iPhone 17 owners access without requiring another hardware purchase. That approach also provides Apple with a working FaceTime feature before the next iPhone launch rather than introducing the camera mode and communication interface at the same moment.

Future hardware could improve the experience through faster processors, stronger image stabilization, upgraded sensors, or more efficient video encoding. None of those additions is required for the supported iPhone 17 family, which already contains the camera system needed to transmit both views.

Dual Capture is only one part of the FaceTime update. Apple is also improving video-call quality when the network connection is weak, addressing a problem that becomes especially relevant when two live camera views require transmission. Traditional Chinese support is joining FaceTime Live Captions as well.

The weak-connection improvement may determine how dependable Dual Capture becomes away from Wi-Fi. A feature designed for travel, events, repairs, and outdoor calls needs to tolerate changes in cellular bandwidth without freezing both views or forcing the session to end.

FaceTime Dual Capture remains part of the iOS 27 beta as Apple prepares the public update for September. Apple can still adjust the interface, performance, device requirements, and picture-in-picture behavior before the completed software reaches iPhone 17 owners.

The post FaceTime Dual Capture: iOS 27’s Biggest Video Call Upgrade appeared first on AppleMagazine.

In its latest image release, the Rubin Observatory previews what a decade of repeated observations could reveal.