If rumors are to be believed, Apple could limit periscope lens technology to the Pro models due to the hardware footprint. Likewise analysts Ming Chi Kuo took to Twitter, where he mentioned that the periscope lens technology will only be seen in the rumored iPhone 16 ProMax Model.
(4/5) As previously predicted, the high-end model of the new iPhone 15 model 2H23 (15 Pro Max or 15 Ultra) will be … https://t.co/J8AgZMY5UD
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) 1675185037000
Kuo tweeted, “My latest survey shows that only one/latest new iPhone 16 model in 2H24 will have the periscope camera, not the two models the market is expecting.
“Therefore, the contribution of the periscope camera to the demand for lens upgrades may be less than the market consensus.”
Kuo’s information contradicts a recent report from The Elec, which mentioned that the “Folded Zoom” periscope lens will be available in both the “iPhone” 16 Pro and “iPhone” 16 Pro Max next year.
The analyst also mentioned that the iPhone 15 Pro Max was previously predicted to “take over the periscope camera.”
“The market expected that the addition of periscope cameras to more iPhone models would drive demand for lens upgrades in 2023-2024,” Kuo added.
What is a periscope lens?
The periscope lens reflects light through an angled mirror to the image sensor in the camera. The directional shift allows for a “folded” telephoto lens system for enhanced optical zoom capabilities without the blur that comes with digital zoom.
However, Periscope lens technology is already being used by smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung. Meanwhile, the “iPhone 15” Pro Max will likely offer up to 6x optical zoom, an improvement over the current 3x optical zoom in the iPhone 14 Pro models.
In recent years, the Pro and Pro Max iPhones offered similar features, and battery life was the main differentiator between the devices, along with display size.
Limiting periscope zoom technology to the Pro Max will likely frustrate those who like having the latest technology but don’t care about the larger 6.7-inch size.
It remains to be seen if Apple will change its mind and make this lens available for other iPhones as well.
Also see:
iOS16.2: iPhone users are waiting for 5G to come to an end
