The iPhone 14 series could bring the smartphone’s biggest front camera upgrade in years, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
The addition of autofocus and a newer lens should help in “significantly improving the selfie and video performance,” he said.
iPhone 14 could help up your selfie game
TF International Securities analyst Kuo thinks Apple will upgrade the iPhone 14’s front camera to add autofocus support, corroborating previous rumors.
Current-gen iPhones feature a fixed-focus camera with its focus set to infinity, so everything is in focus as long as it is not too close. An autofocus camera — like the one found on the iPhone’s rear — will help avoid this by automatically focusing on the subject.
Apart from the addition of autofocus, Apple will be adding a “VCM and upgrading to a 6P lens (vs. the existing 5P),” says Kuo.
Genius will be the leading supplier for the 6P lens, with the remaining share going to Largan, according to Kuo. Alps and Luxshare will supply the new autofocus motors, while Cowell and LG Innotek will provide the front-facing camera modules.
The addition of autofocus and an upgraded 6P lens should lead to a noticeable jump in sharpness and video quality.
The iPhone’s front camera was last upgraded in September 2019 with the iPhone 11’s release. Apple bumped the camera resolution to 12MP and paired it with an f/2.2 lens. Since then, Android smartphones have added 40MP selfie cameras with autofocus, but iPhones have stuck with the same setup.
This year’s iPhone could pack some major camera upgrades
The iPhone 14’s rear camera is rumored to get an upgrade, too, and house a bigger 48MP sensor with a 7P lens. Apple might use pixel binning to capture more details. This should help improve the overall image quality and dynamic range.
It seems Apple has significant camera upgrades planned for this year’s iPhones. Add in the new design and always-on display support, the iPhone 14 series could be a tempting upgrade.
