Samsung Galaxy S24 tipped to retain S23 camera sensor — and that’s disappointing

The Samsung Galaxy S24 reveal is on the horizon and many users are looking forward to the next generation of Samsung phones. However, a recent leak for known tipster @Tech_Reve may have just revealed a less-than-significant camera upgrade that'll dash the spirits of smartphone fans. 

According to an X post, the primary camera sensor that was built into the Galaxy S23 series, the ISOCELL GN3, will be reused in both the Galaxy S24 and S25 models. The sensor offers a 50 MP resolution with a 1/1.56 image sensor and certainly passes muster. It's one of the larger sensors in the smartphone market today and allows for a larger pixel size, but it's still disappointing news.

This is another potential blow for avid photography Samsung users, especially after the recent leaks that seemingly confirmed that the Galaxy S24 Ultra would not be receiving the rumored 10x telephoto lens. According to the leak, it was stated that the S24 Ultra would instead get a 50 MP 5x telephoto lens and a 10 MP 3x Telephoto lens, which some consider to be a strange zoom range due to the relative similarity in focal length. 

While it may seem like Samsung is stifling much of its hardware upgrades it should be noted it's far from unusual for developers to reuse parts. This is often to keep costs down, as well as make mass production easier.

It is also possible that Samsung is aiming to make the best use of its AI to cover the older technology. The reported features of the One UI 6.1 and Samsung Gauss include a border extension feature that uses AI to expand the picture. It will also apparently be possible to edit out subjects in videos and improve the general video and picture quality.

The question of whether the inclusion of AI removes the need for constant hardware improvements is a difficult one to answer. While the implication is that AI will be able to mitigate the downsides of older hardware, we don’t know how effective it will really be. However, if it can cover the older parts then it may change how smartphones get made 

It should be noted that, until the phones are released, these rumors are frequently subject to change. We will only know the exact specifics when the phones are announced and we can test them. It appears that the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Ultra will likely be fully revealed at the next Galaxy Unpacked, which is rumored to be happening around mid-January.

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