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All New iPhone Models Feature 18MP Front-Facing Camera With Center Stage and Square Sensor

All of Apple's new iPhone models feature a significantly upgraded 18-megapixel front-facing camera with Center Stage and a square sensor.

18 mp front facing camera
Users can expect significantly better selfies, especially in low-light conditions. The improvement is one of the biggest upgrades to the iPhone's front-facing camera ever. The history of major upgrades to the iPhone's front-facing camera is as follows:

  • iPhone 4 (2010): 0.3-megapixels
  • iPhone 5 (2012): 1.2-megapixels
  • iPhone 6S (2015): 5-megapixels
  • iPhone 7 (2016): 7-megapixels
  • iPhone 12 (2020): 12-megapixels
  • iPhone 17 (2025): 18-megapixels

The new 18-megapixel camera is present on the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max. The only iPhones still on sale with a camera below 18-megapixels are the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus which retain a 12-megapixel camera.

The new front-facing camera features Center Stage for the first time, keeping the user in frame during video calls. It also enables ultra-stabilized video in 4K HDR. In addition, users can record on the front and rear cameras simultaneously with Dual Capture.

The sensor is square, which is a first for the iPhone, allowing users to take photos and videos in portrait or landscape while holding their iPhone vertically.

Related Roundups: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air
Related Forum: iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

JMStearnsX2 Avatar
11 months ago
Being able to film landscape without flipping the phone sideways would be nice on all the cameras.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
11 months ago
Higher res duck lips!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
11 months ago

iPhone 12 (2020): 12-megapixels
iPhone 11 actually
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alternamelka Avatar
11 months ago
So if its an 18MP sensor and every pic you take is cropped then the final pics are probably still 12MP right?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
11 months ago
I would like to choose landscape or portrait orientation AFTER taking the photo. They should have it take all the data and you can decide later…. Just like how you can choose to add bokeh background blue after taking normal photo.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
11 months ago
Signs or our societal times..

An even better image of "yourself"
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)