Technology, Process and Cost
Smartphone Camera Comparison 2023: Samsung Galaxy S Evolution
By Yole SystemPlus —
Eight years of evolution of the Galaxy S series cameras, featuring the S21 Ultra, S22 Ultra, and S23 Ultra.
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Overview / Methodology
- Executive Summary
- Reverse Costing Methodology
- Glossary
Companies & Supply Chain
- Samsung, Sony, SEMCO
- Players & Market Context
- Supply Chain
Physical Comparison & Evolution
- Camera Overviews
- Physical Comparison
- Overview of the Physical Analysis
Manufacturing Processes
- Camera Module Structure
- Conventional
- Periscope
- IR Filter
- CIS Structure
- Sony CIS
- Fabs
- Pixel & Logic Circuits
- Cu-Cu Hybrid Stacking
- Optical Layers
- Samsung CIS
- Fabs
- Pixel & Logic Circuits
- TSV Stacking
- TSV 3-Stacking
- Optical Layers
Cost Comparison & Breakdown
- CMOS Image Sensor Costs
- Overview (S7 to S23 Ultra)
- Front CIS Front-End Costs (S21 to S23 Ultra)
- Front CIS Die Costs (S21 to S23 Ultra)
- Rear CIS Front-End Costs (S21 to S23)
- Rear CIS Die Costs (S21 to S23)
- Rear CIS Die Cost Comparison (S7 to S22 Ultra)
- Rear Quad Cam CIS Die Cost (S20 Ultra to S22 Ultra)
- Rear CIS Die Cost Comparison (S7 to S22 Ultra)
- Camera Module Costs
- Overview (S7 to S23 Ultra)
- Front Camera Modules (S21 to S23 Ultra)
- Front Camera Modules Breakdown (S7 to S22 Ultra)
- Rear Camera Modules (S21 to S23 Ultra)
- Rear Camera Modules Breakdown (S7 to S23 Ultra)
- Camera Costs & Price Comparison (S7 to S23 Ultra)
Detailed Physical Analysis
- Front Cameras (Galaxy S21 to S23 Ultra)
- Rear Cameras
- Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Galaxy S21 Ultra
Feedback
Related Products
About Yole Group
Samsung is the smartphone market leader, having sold more handsets in 2022 than any other original equipment manufacturer (OEM) company. The Galaxy S series is its flagship line. The Ultra models, such as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, represent its current ultra-premium smartphone photography experience.
This report examines the evolution of the cameras in the Galaxy S flagship series by summarizing the results of detailed physical analyses and costing studies to compare the camera modules and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors (CIS) in the Galaxy S21 Ultra, S22 Ultra and S23 Ultra. It also presents the technical and cost evolution of the last eight years of the Galaxy S series cameras, including the Galaxy S7, S8, S9+, S10+, and S20 Ultra.
It includes both the front and rear-facing camera modules. The physical analysis includes the complete structure, design, and teardown of the modules. It also describes the dimensions, technology nodes and stacking technologies used in the CIS of the cameras from all eight smartphones. The iris and depth modules found in the S20 Ultra and earlier models are not included.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra debuts two new CIS from Samsung, the 3LU in the front camera and the HP2 in the rear. The pixels have been totally redesigned in these CIS. The new dual vertical transfer gate design improves full well capacity, making it possible to improve the DXOMARK scores of both cameras while shrinking the pixel area in the front and the pixel size in the rear. The rear main CIS also uses a novel "Tetra²pixel" binning regime and full quad-pixel autofocus pixel design, which improves the autofocus performance over the previous generation.
Aside from these innovations, the overall design philosophy has remained the same as in the previous two generations. The Galaxy S23 Ultra retains the new, more-efficiently designed periscope module from the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The ultra-wide module uses a new CIS from Sony that retains the resolution and pixel size.
- Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation (AKM)
- Dongwoon Anatech
- Giantec
- Haesung Optics
- Jahwa
- Largan
- Partron
- Puya Semiconductor
- Renesas
- Samsung
- Samsung Electromechanics
- Sekonix
- Sony
- STMicroelectronics
- Sysonic
- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
Key Features
- Detailed photos
- Precise measurements
- Module cross-sections
- Sensor cross-sections
- Sensor measurements
- Manufacturing process flow
- Supply chain evaluation
- Manufacturing cost analysis
- Physical comparisons
- Cost and price comparison
What's new
The Galaxy S23 Ultra debuts two new CMOS image sensors (CIS) from Samsung, the 3LU in the front camera and the HP2 in the rear. The pixels have been totally redesigned in these CIS. The new dual vertical transfer gate design improves full well capacity, making it possible to improve the DXOMARK scores of both cameras while shrinking the pixel area in the front and the pixel size in the rear. The rear main CIS also uses a novel "Tetra2pixel" binning regime and full quad-pixel autofocus pixel design, which improves the autofocus performance over the previous generation. The Sony CIS in the ultra-wide module has been upgraded from the IMX563 to the next iteration, the IMX564.