Apple is exploring multispectral imaging technology for future iPhone cameras that could improve Visual Intelligence, enhance material detection, and boost image processing, according to a new supply chain rumor out of China.

In a post on Weibo, leaker Digital Chat Station said Apple is currently evaluating components related to multispectral imaging within the supply chain, but cautioned that formal testing has not yet begun, suggesting the technology remains at an exploratory stage.

Multispectral imaging differs from traditional smartphone photography, which relies solely on standard red, green, and blue light. Instead, the technology captures image data across multiple, distinct wavelength bands, which can add sensitivity to near-infrared or other narrow spectral ranges. This could potentially allow cameras to detect information that is largely invisible to conventional sensors.

If adopted in future iPhones, one potential advantage could be improved material and surface differentiation. By analysing how different materials reflect light across wavelengths, the iPhone's camera could more accurately distinguish skin, fabric, vegetation, or reflective surfaces, enabling cleaner subject recognition and more reliable portrait effects.

In addition, multispectral data could also improve image processing overall, especially when shooting in mixed lighting environments. It could also theoretically improve Visual Intelligence and Apple's on-device machine learning, leading to better object recognition, scene understanding, and depth estimation.

However, adding extra spectral sensitivity would likely require more complex sensor designs, which would surely increase costs and potentially have an impact on internal space constraints. This might be why Apple is reportedly still evaluating the technology, rather than actively testing it in prototypes. Either way, it's not something we should expect in an iPhone soon.

In the same Weibo post, Digital Chat Station reiterated that the Main lens on iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a variable aperture, while the telephoto camera will have a larger aperture, but Apple has yet to begin prototyping 200-megapixel cameras for future iPhones.

Source: Macrumors