Times change and 12MP is the new sweet spot in resolution. If the Nokia 808 had had a '12MP' mode (perfectly possible) then its 'super pixels' would have worked out at about 2.6 microns, so we're in roughly the same ballpark here, except with OIS (hopefully), and with vastly more efficient sensor pixels, backed up by fast chipsets and plenty of RAM. It's a win win and the upcoming S11+ may well be the highest quality phone camera ever created. If Samsung don't screw up the image processing with too much sharpening. And yes, that's a big 'if'!!
Anyway, from AA:
Chinese leakster Ice universe (@UniverseIce) has shared another set of details. First, a photo of a woman holding what is said to be the ‘periscope optical zoom camera module’ Galaxy S11. The source also shared the Galaxy S11+ camera will have the following: S11+，108MP，9→1，12MP/2.4μm.
So the 108MP camera is really happening. That is expected because Samsung has manufactured a 108MP sensor that’s been used by Xiaomi already. The Galaxy S11+’s sensor will be slightly different though. It will be customized. It won’t be the ISOCELL Bright HMX but a new CMOS.
This means “each cell on the CCD camera sensor will be bonded to 8 others” as described. About 9 pixels will be combined into one large 2.4-micrometer cell size that actually results in a 12MP camera. This camera also offers great noise suppression and superior light sensitivity. Most high MP cams already do this but the 108MP sensor is not very common.
Interesting stuff. I'd imagine that a degree of PureView zoom will also be possible, though with less colour accuracy than on the old Nokia's, because more of the combination is being done in hardware here - 'Nono-Bayer', anyone?
We'll know more in January!
PS. Update: this is now referred to as 'Bright HM1'.