Samsung is expected to adopt Sony’s impressive 25-megapixel camera sensor featured in the Xperia Z5 lineup for next-year’s Galaxy S7, according to a new report — and the South Korean company’s new flagship could appear as early as January 2016.

Samsung’s latest devices ship with a 16-megapixel camera that’s widely regarded as one of the best smartphone shooters available right now. But one of the few smartphones that beat the Galaxy S6 in DxOMark’s professional camera tests is Sony’s new Xperia Z5.

Now Samsung is said to be in talks with Sony to adopt the same IMX300 sensor for next year’s Galaxy S7.

Sony has long been making camera sensors for other smartphone vendors — the company actually makes some of Samsung’s existing 16-megapixel sensors — but it initially planned to retain exclusivity over the IMX300 for its own devices.

Now, perhaps in an effort to offset falling smartphone sales, Sony is thought to be open to the idea of selling the sensors to Samsung. It should be noted, however, that a deal doesn’t appear to be in place yet; the two are only “in talks” for now.

• ViaSamMobile