iPhone 16 Pro tipped to adopt 5X zoom from iPhone 15 Pro Max

Rumours about Apple’s next iPhone, the iPhone 16 series, have started surfacing ever since the iPhone 15 series was unveiled to the world. This time around, the top-end iPhone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, gets one groundbreaking camera feature - a telephoto lens. While brands such as Samsung, Sony, and Xiaomi have had this technology for years, Apple has joined the party late by bringing it to only one device so far. However, that is set to change next year as not only the iPhone 16 Pro Max but the iPhone 16 Pro is also tipped to feature 5X zoom. Here’s all we know.

iPhone 16 Pro: Periscope lens on the way?

In a post on Medium, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated that the iPhone 16 Pro next year is expected to feature the highly-rated periscope lens, also known as the tetraprism lens. It is expected to result in a 160 percent YoY growth in iPhones with this camera in 2024. To fit the bigger lens in the smaller iPhone 16 Pro, Apple is also tipped to increase the of the iPhone 16 Pro from 6.1-inch to 6.3-inch.

This corroborates a previous report by MoneyUDN which suggested that Apple will bring in special moulded glass lenses that would be fitted on the telephoto camera. This would allow the Cupertino-based tech giant to fit in larger lenses without compromising the small form factor of the iPhone 16 Pro.

Apple has reportedly contacted Lagran to be the supplier of the tetraprism lens in the iPhone 16 Pro as well, and Lagran’s improvements in the yield of the tetraprism lens assembly could mean that the company does not face any scarcity while manufacturing the device. Lagran has also reportedly already kicked off the production of the tetraprism compact camera module (CCM) to avoid any delays due to shortages or supply-chain issues.

What is Apple’s tetraprism lens?

When Apple unveiled the iPhone 15 series in September, the top-end iPhone 15 Pro Max debuted a feature that no other iPhone had before - a telephoto lens. According to Apple, the new tetraprism design of the telephoto lens combines Optical Image Stabilization with Apple's 3D Autofocus Sensor Shift to create its most advanced stabilization system yet. While it was rumoured that both Pro models would come with this feature, only the iPhone 15 Pro Max actually features it.