It looks like the rumored periscope lens in iPhone 15 just took a step closer to reality. Jahwa Electronics in South Korea said it plans to expand production on new models and invest $155.7 million in new facilities. A new report suggested the company’s new customer is Apple, for whom it will supply periscope lens components.
Jahwa currently supplies such tech — optical image stabilization (OIS) actuators — for Samsung’s Galaxy S22 lineup.
Periscope lens in iPhone 15: A step closer to reality?
A new report in TheElec indicated an investment like Jahwa’s means it bagged a new customer, and it’s most likely Apple, which sent folks to tour the OIS module factory in South Korea early last year.
The article said the Jahwa will start supplying OIS actuators to the Cupertino tech giant during the second quarter of next year.
The new facilities will probably only supply components to the iPhone maker rather than conduct assembly. Apple requires its suppliers to build production lines exclusive to the company. Alternatively, the planned new facilities could be exclusive to Apple.
OIS actuators will have a place in iPhones’ telephoto lens as part of a periscope camera system using folded zoom technology. It increases the zoom capability. For iPhone, that could increase it from 3x to 10x.
“Folded zoom uses [a] prism to bend the light before it reaches the image sensor … sort of a periscope-like telephoto camera,” as The Elec described it previously.
Could make for a smaller camera bump
Notably, the technology combines OIS and autofocus features and may make for a smaller camera bump on iPhones.
Jahwa will continue working with Samsung in its facilities in Cheongju, South Korea and Vietnam, the article said.
Rumors about a periscope lens in iPhones started with iPhone 13, but it hasn’t happened yet. It may be a ways off, still, though analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted it will come to the iPhone 15 in 2023.
