Apple has been reported a boatload of times to introduce a periscope zoom lens to both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, making it the first time that this upgrade will not be exclusive to the top tier model like it was last year with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, when it comes to bringing in additional improvements to the tetraprism camera, one analyst believes that these specifications will remain identical to Apple’s premium handset from 2023. This information suggests that we should not hold our breath for some lens upgrades, but we should anticipate other camera changes.
Based on new information, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be limited to a 5x optical zoom
Examining a separate report on his Medium blog post, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the tetraprism camera specifications will remain unchanged compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, suggesting that customers will not have any actual benefit of upgrading if they already own the 6.7-inch flagship from last year. However, a major plus is that you will not be required to spend a little extra money in purchasing the iPhone 16 Pro Max just for the periscope zoom lens upgrade as the iPhone 16 Pro will also reportedly share the same hardware.
To help Apple with this optical zoom lens conundrum, it was previously reported that Genius Electronic Optical was added to the supply chain alongside Largan Precision. Fortunately for Largan, Kuo reports that the entry of another supplier will not affect its shipment price, indicating that the lens manufacturer may have a significant advantage in its overall shipment tally for Apple, allowing it to maintain its profit margins. Kuo notes that it is extremely rare for a company that is a part of the Cupertino giant’s supply chain to be able to maintain its unit price just one year after mass production, as even TSMC cannot achieve this feat, but it appears that there are exceptions.
