Overview

• Apple confirmed a partnership with Samsung at its Austin, Texas, semiconductor fab to domestically produce three-layer stacked image sensors for next year’s iPhone 18.
• The deal ends Apple’s exclusive reliance on Sony for camera sensors and diversifies its supply chain to reduce exposure to incoming import tariffs.
• Three-layer stacked sensor architecture promises higher pixel density, improved low-light performance, faster readout speeds, reduced power consumption and greater dynamic range.
• This project boosts Apple’s American Manufacturing Program to a total of $600 billion, following a $100 billion expansion announced on August 6.
• Initial volume production runs are underway ahead of a planned mass-production start in March 2026 to meet Apple’s validation cycle for the iPhone 18 launch.