Apple’s iPhone 15 launched just a few months ago and the iPhone 16 is already making waves in the rumor mill. Basically, the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to debut with a 5x periscope camera, a feature that was exclusive in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. A new rumor hinted it will be an entirely identical setup with no exciting improvements from this year’s version, with the high possibility of the iPhone 16 Pro Max receiving a superior telephoto lens.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s camera system includes a new 12 MP telephoto camera which uses a folded or tetra prism optics and enables lossless zoom at 5x level. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Pro (review) relies on an old and conventional telephoto module with a lower 3x zoom level. Space constraint is often touted as the primary reason the smaller Pro model misses out on this feature.
Based on what we know, Apple will provide the iPhone 16 Pro with a bigger footprint thanks to a larger 6.3-inch display panel, which is 0.2 inches larger than its predecessor. This larger viewing real estate would most likely result in additional volume and heft for the handset as well as increasing the chances of housing a periscope camera.
Old telephoto, new ultrawide snapper on the Apple iPhone 16 Pro
A few reliable sources and leakers earlier supported the idea of the iPhone 16 Pro finally getting 5x zoom capability. Now, details coming from Mac Rumors further suggest the periscope lens on the iPhone 16 Pro could be identical to the one used in the iPhone 15 Pro Max (review), including the imaging capabilities and sensor size.
In the internal documentation obtained by the news outlet, the iPhone 16 Pro’s telephoto camera is said to depict a layout similar to a periscope camera. Furthermore, the module is also comparable to the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s telephoto design and arrangement. Hence, we can assume that the upcoming shooter might enlist the existing 12 MP periscope with an equivalent 85 mm focal length and 1/1.9-inch size.
As for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, it’s not clear whether its telephoto lens will remain unchanged as well. Given how Apple retained the primary snapper on the iPhone 15 Pro series for a year, it makes sense if the periscope camera will get little to no improvements. However, with the iPhone 16 series still several months away from launch, there might still be changes happening before then.
The iPhone 16 Pro duo is widely rumored to receive a new ultra-wide camera with a higher resolution count at 48 MP. The resolution will be a major boost from the present 12 MP sensor. Having more megapixels would likely enable Apple to use pixel binning for better image quality.
What are your thoughts on Apple iPhone 16 Pro bringing boring hardware upgrades? We like to hear your opinion about this matter.
