- In Q2 2024, the average primary camera resolution of smartphones doubled from 27MP in Q2 2020 to reach the highest-ever level of 54MP.
- The gradual growth can be attributed to persistent consumer preference for improved cameras and OEMs’ efforts to meet these expectations.
- More than 50% of the smartphones shipped during Q2 2024 had cameras with 50MP resolution.
The average primary camera resolution of smartphones continues to inch upward. In Q2 2024, it doubled from 27MP in Q2 2020 to reach the highest-ever level of 54MP, according to Counterpoint Research’s Global Handset Model Sales Tracker. The gradual growth can be attributed to persistent consumer preference for improved cameras, a criterion that has consistently ranked among the key smartphone buying factors in our Consumer Lens surveys. To meet these expectations, OEMs have continued to focus on camera innovation and adoption of higher resolutions. More than 50% of the smartphones sold during the quarter had cameras with 50MP resolution.
Going deeper into our data, we find that major growth in the resolution came from the entry-to-mid-price ($100-$250) and premium (>$600) segments. In the premium segment, the shift was driven by Apple switching to 48MP from 12MP with the iPhone 15 series. In the entry-to-mid-price segment, the trend was driven by Android OEMs, especially Chinese, adopting higher-resolution cameras as a differentiating factor. There has been consistent growth in the adoption of high-resolution cameras like 108MP and 100MP across mid-price segments.
Over the years, there has been a shift in the number of rear cameras as well. While the quad camera setup captured 32% of the shipments at its peak in Q3 2020, the triple camera setup dominated the market in Q2 2024 with a 45% share. The shift can be attributed to OEMs integrating macro camera capabilities into ultrawide and telephoto lenses while increasing the sensor size for better light intake.
While lower-resolution cameras will continue to move upwards, the higher-resolution ones are expected to stabilize in the coming years. OEMs will focus more on other aspects to further improve quality. The telephoto lens is likely to be emphasized to provide better optical zoom capabilities and better light intake, along with more focus on on-device processing to deliver realistic skin tones and scenes, and incorporation of GenAI features as newer use cases emerge.
