There are several reasons why a high number of megapixels does not necessarily equate to clearer picture quality in smartphones. One reason is that the size of the pixels themselves is also an important factor. If the pixels are small, they may not be able to capture as much light, resulting in lower image quality.

Additionally, the quality of the lens and the image sensor also plays a role in determining the overall picture quality. If the lens is of poor quality or the image sensor is not able to accurately capture and process the data from the lens, then the resulting image will not be as clear even if the camera has a high number of megapixels.