iPhone will get a periscope camera lens for the first time in 2023 after a 48-megapixel sensor upgrade next year, according to one analyst. The periscope lens should allow for significantly greater optical zoom.
A number of iPhone rivals are now using this technology to allow photographers to take more detailed snaps of their subjects. Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra is capable of 10x optical zoom, while iPhone 13 Pro maxes out at 3x.
iPhone to adopt periscope lens for greater zoom
iPhone 7 Plus was one of the first smartphones to popularize optical zoom lenses when it made its debut back in 2016, but in recent years, Apple’s cameras have fallen well behind in this particular department.
Although iPhone 13 Pro extended the optical zoom capabilities to 3x, it pales in comparison to some Android flagships. That’s unlikely to change in 2022, but iPhone could get a big optical zoom upgrade in 2023, a new report claims.
TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has proven reliable in the past, said in a research note published Monday that he expects Apple to introduce periscope lenses for the first time with iPhone 15.
It’s not yet clear what kind of optical zoom upgrade this might bring. But in Android devices, like the Galaxy S21 Ultra and others from the likes of Huawei, periscope lenses have pushed optical zoom to as much as 10x.
48-megapixel upgrade for iPhone 14
Before we get iPhone 15, of course, there will be an iPhone 14. And according to Kuo, it will get a massive 48-megapixel camera upgrade that will allow 8K video recording and improved augmented reality experiences.
The sensor is likely to be exclusive to iPhone Pro models initially. These predictions echo those recently made by Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu, who also expects iPhone 14 Pro to get 8GB of RAM.
