Galaxy S27 Pro and Ultra May Borrow Apple’s Square Selfie Sensor

After four years of unchanged selfies on Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S line, a real upgrade may finally be on the way. The Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra are tipped to swap the long-running 12-megapixel front camera for a 16-megapixel unit, according to Dutch publication GalaxyClub and reported by the rumored 16MP selfie upgrade for the S27 Pro and Ultra. Base models are a different story: the standard Galaxy S27 and Galaxy S27+ haven’t been confirmed for the same upgrade.

Going back to the S23 in 2023, Samsung has shipped the same 12MP front-facing camera across the Galaxy S23, S24, S25, and S26 lineups, with the S26 series currently using a 12MP f/2.2 selfie shooter on every model. SamMobile’s independent confirmation of the 16MP front camera leak notes that Samsung ‘introduced the 12MP sensor with the Galaxy S23 series in 2023,’ which would make 2027 the fifth straight year on the same hardware if the Pro and Ultra do move to 16MP.

The First Selfie Camera Upgrade Since 2023

The GalaxyClub report is the most concrete leak yet on the S27 lineup’s front cameras. PhoneArena’s write-up of the report reads the 16MP jump as overdue: ‘It became even harder to understand and excuse the company’s decision to stick with a 12-megapixel sensor on the S24 Ultra, S25 Ultra, and S26 Ultra these last few years, but at long last, a major upgrade is now tipped in that department for 2027.’

Same hardware, five generations. The 12MP module Samsung shipped on the S23 in 2023 has carried through the S24, S25, and the current S26 lineup unchanged. Earlier reporting from SamMobile covered the S26 lineup’s front camera as identical across every model, including the Ultra.

The jump to 16MP after a long stretch of 12MP modules is the kind of step Samsung would take if it wanted the front camera to feel modern again, and it lines up with what Apple has already done on its own flagships. That timing, paired with the leaked number, is what made multiple outlets sit up.

• 5 years of 12MP selfies on Samsung Galaxy S flagships since the S23 launched in 2023
• 16MP expected on the Galaxy S27 Pro and Ultra front camera
• 18MP shipped on every iPhone 17 model and the iPhone Air
• Q1 2027 widely tipped as the Galaxy S27 launch window
• 4 models in the lineup: S27, S27+, S27 Pro, and S27 Ultra

Why a Square Sensor Is on the Table

On paper, the 16MP figure is what makes a square sensor technically plausible. A square front sensor could output a 12MP 4:3 image in either portrait or landscape orientation without forcing the user to rotate the phone, because the camera reads out only the section of the surface needed for the chosen format. SamMobile spelled out the design’s appeal: ‘Unlike a conventional rectangular sensor, a square sensor lets the camera crop portrait and landscape images from the same capture, so you can shoot in either orientation regardless of how you hold the phone.’

PhoneArena called the move overdue, framing it as ‘the most impressive selfie camera since the Galaxy S22 Ultra.’ Back in 2022, that older phone shipped with a 40MP front-facing camera before Samsung stepped the count down to 12MP on the S23 the following year. The square sensor idea lines up with what Apple did on the iPhone 17, and Samsung’s display choices are also in flux, including BOE display panel plans for the standard Galaxy S27. Both outlets treat the square design as speculation tied to the 16MP figure, with Samsung saying nothing publicly so far.

How Apple’s iPhone 17 Front Camera Was Built

Apple reset the high-end smartphone selfie benchmark in September with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the new iPhone Air. Across the lineup, all four shipped with a new 18MP Center Stage front camera built around a square multi-aspect sensor, replacing the older 12MP TrueDepth module that had carried through since the iPhone 11. DPReview’s breakdown of the iPhone 17 Pro’s square multi-aspect front sensor reads: ‘Across the iPhone 17 lineup (and iPhone Air), there’s a new 18MP front module built around a square multi-aspect sensor instead of the prior 4:3 aspect sensor.’

Less about raw megapixels, more about flexibility: that was Apple’s pitch with the iPhone 17 front camera. The square shape lets the camera read the section of the sensor needed for the chosen format, so users can capture landscape or vertical photos without rotating the phone. Apple said the new sensor is ‘almost twice as large’ as the iPhone 16 generation’s front module. DPReview’s spec sheet lists an f/1.9 front lens for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, paired with that 18MP square sensor, and notes that the device supports on-screen toggles to switch between landscape and portrait without rotating the handset. The DPReview comparison table puts the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max front lens at the same f/1.9 aperture as the iPhone 16 Pro generation, suggesting the change is in the sensor, not the lens.

The square sensor means there’s no need to rotate the phone to capture landscape or vertical photos and videos, as the camera selectively reads the appropriate region of the sensor regardless of phone position.

DPReview, the photography-focused review publication, also notes that Apple enabled on-screen controls to flip between landscape and portrait with a tap, and that Center Stage AI automatically adjusts the field of view or rotates the frame for group shots. Apple hasn’t disclosed the exact sensor dimensions for the new module.

The Base S27 and S27+ Are Still Unconfirmed

The GalaxyClub report names only the S27 Pro and S27 Ultra as confirmed for the 16MP upgrade. The base Galaxy S27 and the Galaxy S27+ haven’t been confirmed, with PhoneArena flagging that the lack of confirmation ‘generally means they won’t.’ That suggests the cheaper pair keeps the 12MP shooter inherited from the S26 generation. SamMobile took the same line, noting that ‘we wouldn’t be surprised to see Samsung stick with the current 12MP front-facing camera on those models.’

If Samsung does split the lineup that way, it widens the gap between the Pro/Ultra pair and the standard models. The Galaxy S27 Pro sits between the S27+ and S27 Ultra per leaks of how the four-model Galaxy S27 lineup takes shape, and arrives without an S Pen. PhoneArena suggested the move could let the base S27 and S27+ land at lower prices than their predecessors, while the Pro and Ultra pick up more substantial upgrades over the S26 generation than previously expected. The same outlet called the potential split ‘the textbook definition of the best of both worlds’ for buyers on tighter budgets.

What Else the S27 Pro and Ultra Cameras Are Expected to Pack

The selfie bump is one slice of a broader rear-camera reshuffle. PhoneArena reports that the Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra are both tipped for a 50MP telephoto lens and a 50MP ultrawide sensor, alongside a 200MP primary for day-to-day shooting. SamMobile added that the Galaxy S27 Pro is expected to adopt a new 50MP 3.5x telephoto in particular.

The Galaxy S27 Ultra is shaping up to drop a camera entirely. PhoneArena expects it to move from the S26 Ultra’s quad-camera setup to a triple-lens array, with the dedicated 3x telephoto disappearing.

SamMobile backed that up: ‘the Galaxy S27 Ultra could ditch its dedicated 3x telephoto camera.’ The shift would trade a fourth lens for what Samsung clearly hopes are better sensors on the remaining three. The rear camera package for the S27 Pro and Ultra is shaping up as one of Samsung’s more aggressive reshuffles in years.

1. 200MP main rear sensor on both Pro and Ultra per leaks
2. 50MP ultrawide rear sensor on both Pro and Ultra per leaks
3. 50MP 3.5x telephoto rear sensor on both Pro and Ultra per leaks
4. S27 Ultra expected to move from quad-camera to triple-camera
5. 16MP front camera with possible square sensor on Pro and Ultra only

When to Expect the Galaxy S27 Launch

Samsung’s Galaxy S flagships traditionally land in the first quarter of the year, and the S27 lineup is widely tipped to follow the same pattern. Multiple reports point to a Q1 2027 unveiling, most likely in January or February.

That timing leaves roughly six to seven months of additional leaks between now and a likely Unpacked-style announcement. PhoneArena’s framing was straightforward: ‘I don’t expect the Galaxy S27 quartet to see daylight for six or seven more months.’ Samsung hasn’t confirmed dates, and the lineup’s exact launch event remains unannounced.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will Samsung launch the Galaxy S27 series?

Samsung has not announced a date, though multiple leaks point to a Q1 2027 launch, with January or February the most likely window. The Galaxy S27 Pro is a new addition to the lineup, sitting between the S27+ and the S27 Ultra.

Will all four Galaxy S27 models get the 16MP selfie camera?

For now, only two Galaxy S27 models are confirmed for the 16MP upgrade in the GalaxyClub report: the Pro and the Ultra. The base Galaxy S27 and Galaxy S27+ have not been confirmed. Outlets read that omission as a likely sign those two keep the 12MP front camera.

Is Samsung copying Apple’s square sensor design?

Samsung has not confirmed a square sensor, but the 16MP figure reported by GalaxyClub lines up with the kind of square multi-aspect design Apple introduced on the iPhone 17. Outlets including SamMobile and PhoneArena have framed the move as Samsung following Apple’s lead rather than confirming hardware.

Why has Samsung kept a 12MP selfie camera so long?

Five years is how long Samsung has shipped a 12MP front-facing camera on every flagship since the Galaxy S23 series in 2023, including the S24, S25, and the current S26 lineup. The Galaxy S22 Ultra shipped with a 40MP front camera in 2022 before Samsung dropped the count down. Across the S23, S24, S25, and S26 generations, the front camera spec has stayed the same.

What does a square selfie sensor actually do?

On a square multi-aspect sensor, the camera reads out only the section of the surface needed for the chosen photo format, letting it capture landscape or vertical images without rotating the phone. Apple used the design on every iPhone 17 model and the iPhone Air, paired with software that auto-adjusts the crop for group shots.