A High Range Image Sensor in Apple’s Future?

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Summary

Apple may be developing a high-range image sensor for its Vision Pro, aiming to match the human eye’s dynamic range. This sensor, potentially manufactured by Samsung in Texas, could eventually be integrated into higher-end iPhones and AR glasses.

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Probably for Vision Pro first, not iPhones

​https://www.macrumors.com/2025/08/04/apple-developing-its-own-image-sensor​

TECHNOLOGY

Apple may be developing an image sensor that could match the dynamic range of the human eye. Dynamic range is measured in stops; the human eye can sense as many as 30 stops, while iPhones are 5–12 and while Vision Pro is better, it doesn’t match human range.

ChatGPT told me that 20–30 stops means the eye can detect light across a brightness range where the brightest light is about ²²⁰ to ²³⁰ times brighter than the dimmest light you can still see.

Vision Pro has passthrough AR — if it can’t closely match what you’d see, AR would look “off”. The Vision Pro is a low volume product which buyers expect to be in a semi-beta stage, so any production problems could be caught much earlier. If everything works well, it might go to the higher end phones and, of course, to the expected AR glasses.

Apple is working with Samsung to manufacture this in Texas.​

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