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In the race of megapixels, manufacturers took up their mind: how the resolution of cameras in smartphones is changing

Analytical agency Counterpoint has published a new report on cameras in smartphones, thereby demonstrating which sensor resolutions in main and front cameras are currently the most popular. As you would expect, in 2021, the share of modules with a resolution of 48 megapixels and more increased significantly – in the second quarter it was 43%, and this is compared to 38.7% in the first quarter. What can we say, if the popularity of only 64-megapixel cameras increased by 3.5% (and amounted to 14%).

Senior analyst at the company Ethan Qi stressed that in the segment of smartphones from $ 200 to $ 400, 48 and 64 megapixel cameras have become a real mainstream. In turn, manufacturers like Redmi and Realme continue to popularize affordable 108MP sensors with a small pixel size of 0.7 microns. Many reviewers and power users have criticized this approach, calling the megapixel race useful for marketing rather than improving photography.

But in the case of flagship models, manufacturers, as if listening to criticism, increasingly prefer to increase the size of the matrix itself, and among them the most common option is a 50 megapixel solution.

Manufacturers of ultra-budget smartphones are also moving forward and abandoning 8-megapixel main cameras in favor of 12 and 13 megapixel sensors. Thanks to this, as well as the launch of the iPhone 13 and Galaxy Z lines, a significant increase in the popularity of devices with 12 megapixel cameras is expected in the second half of the year.

In the case of front-facing modules, manufacturers are not particularly chasing resolution: the total volume of sensors of 20 megapixels and above remained almost unchanged – analysts suggest that this is due to a decrease in sales of flagship models. But in the future, the increase in high-resolution sensors should still take place.

Contrary to the trend, the share of front cameras of 8 megapixels and below increased to 45.2% (the total number of 8 and 5 megapixel sensors is 41.7%), which was facilitated by the high demand for inexpensive smartphones.

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