iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max cameras
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The iPhone has everyone's favorite camera system that Apple continues to improve over time. Here's what's rumored to change with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.
The camera is perhaps one of the most important parts of the iPhone. The smartphone's shooting capabilities have attracted the attention of consumers who prefer to shoot with Apple's system rather than with mobile devices.
It's important to Apple that its “Shot on iPhone” marketing campaign focuses on the quality and video and audio capture capabilities of the iPhone. Even to the professional or broadcast level.
This history of image quality means that any changes to iPhone settings could have a big impact on whether consumers upgrade to the next generation.
Like other parts of the iPhone, the camera system has become the subject of leaks and rumors. If true, the proposed changes could make the iPhone 16 lineup an even better choice for photographers and videographers.
According to rumors, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro will appear this fall.
iPhone 16 Pro camera sensor upgrade
Camera system The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max received a significant upgrade, bringing the main or wide-angle camera to a 48-megapixel sensor from a 12-megapixel one. This change meant that it was possible to take advantage of pixel binning to create even better 12MP images, as well as 48MP versions.
iPhone 15 Pro Max's Three Cameras
The sensor swap also added a new level of optical 2x zoom, which was technically correct since the image was cropped.
However, the telephoto lens and ultra-wide sensor still had the same standard of 12 megapixels. This pattern continued into the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
There have been many rumors that this could change with the iPhone 16 generation. The ultra-wide sensor can be upgraded to the same resolution.
The August 2023 forecast put forward the idea of using a 48 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor in addition to the main one. By December, the serial source made a similar announcement about an update to the ultra-wide-angle sensor.
If this is true, then the telephoto lens will remain the last 12-megapixel camera. Given the ability to crop the image significantly to significantly improve zoom levels, a 48MP telephoto lens could be a good addition to the group.
iPhone 16 Pro gets a Pro Max tetraprism lens
The big advantage of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, in addition to the display, is the higher level of optical zoom of the telephoto lens.
The iPhone 15 Pro had a regular lens with 3x optical zoom. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Pro Max increases optical zoom to 5x.
The increase in optical zoom was impressive, but it also affected the digital zoom. The Pro could increase the speed up to 15 times, and the Pro Max up to 25 times.
iPhone 15 Pro Max camera module
The improvement is due to the tetraprism lens, a glass device that Apple included only on the Pro Max. However, there is a chance that the iPhone 16 Pro will also receive it.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in September 2023 that there would be an expansion for both Pro versions in 2024. A few months later, he doubled down on that claim.
By February, Trendforce joined the conversation, making this feature Pro-specific.
While this will mean the Pro Max will lose its optical advantage over the Pro as a market feature, it will still be useful for consumers who don't necessarily want a larger phone.
iPhone 16 Pro Coating Could Reduce Glare
While it's not exactly a new lens, there are rumors that Apple is using other elements to improve image quality.
In April, leaker Yeux1122 said that Apple would use a new technology called Atomic Layer Deposition to coat the lenses used in the iPhone 16 Pro cameras. This technology makes it possible to create a precise and even film with a thickness of only a few nanometers.
This layer will actually add a filter to the glass, which could potentially reduce fire hazards, among other benefits.
Although this is just a rumor, applying film to glass for optical purposes is a common practice. This makes the rumor more likely to actually happen.
The iPhone 16 Pro can use more thin lenses
One area that could impact the broader design of the iPhone is a change in the type of lenses Apple uses in its pro-grade cameras.
An October supply chain report from the Economic Daily News said suppliers are gearing up for the 2024 iPhone. Part of the preparation is the possible use of molded glass lenses on the Pro models.
Molded glass lenses provide a number of benefits, including allowing for thinner, lighter lenses and saving space and weight.
The use of molded lenses can also result in greater magnification for a given size. That is, Apple could make the lenses thinner while maintaining existing focal lengths without any penalty.
Logically, this could also mean that Apple could use the same number and size of lenses, but increase the focal length.
Redesigned iPhone 16 camera
The camera bump is usually undergoes a number of small changes between generations. However, there may be significant changes to the iPhone 16 maps.
Various phone shapes and mockups have emerged, depicting the new vertical camera layout for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
Alleged mockups of the iPhone 16 Pro (left) and iPhone 16 (right) released in March 2024
The change basically changes the dual-camera version an arrangement ranging from the diagonal corners of a larger square to an arrangement next to each other taking up half the space.
In addition to cleaning up the look, this change gives Apple another advantage. So, when used in landscape orientation, the pair of cameras can be used to record spatial video that can be viewed using Apple Vision Pro.
iPhone 15 Pro can already record such footage. The camera change will mean that Apple's standard iPhones will be able to do the same.
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