Samsung has secured a significant win by partnering with Apple to manufacture advanced semiconductor chips—likely image sensors—for upcoming Apple devices, including iPhones.
These chips will be produced at Samsung’s Taylor plant in Texas using a novel technology not yet deployed elsewhere globally.
Although Apple has not disclosed full details, reports suggest the chips in question are 3-stack hybrid bonding CMOS Image Sensors (CIS), potentially destined for the iPhone 18 lineup in 2026.
This new sensor design involves bonding three separate wafers—photo diode, transistor, and logic—using copper pads. The method is said to improve pixel density while reducing image noise, enhancing camera performance.
Samsung is said to have converted part of its S1 fab in Austin, Texas, into a CIS production line, with an estimated monthly capacity of 10,000 wafers. Production is expected to begin by March 2026.
This development marks the first time such camera sensors will be manufactured in the USA.
Apple’s decision to partner with Samsung, which has US-based fabs, aligns with its strategy to localize chip production and avoid import tariffs under the Trump administration’s trade policy. Sony, Apple’s other major camera chip supplier, only manufactures in Japan.
Apple also announced plans to source $19 billion worth of semiconductor chips from the US and invest over $600 billion in American manufacturing over the next four years.
The deal is a major boost for Samsung’s chip business, which recently secured a $16.5 billion contract to produce 2nm AI chips for Tesla and is reportedly nearing a deal to supply HBM3E chips to Nvidia. Samsung also plans to launch its 2nm Exynos 2600 chip in the upcoming Galaxy S26 series.
