According to analyst Jeff Pu, at least one of the iPhone 15 models, which are slated to launch in 2023, will feature a periscope camera system that could offer a 10x optical zoom.
With a periscope system, light entering the telephoto lens on the back of the iPhone would be reflected by an angled mirror towards the camera’s image sensor. The change in direction in which the light travels would allow for Apple to fit a longer telephoto setup inside the iPhone, enabling users to zoom in further without any blurriness.
Rumors as to the iPhone receiving a periscope lens have been circulating since early 2020, and noted analysts Ming-Chi Kuo has stated that the periscope lens might be an iPhone 14 Pro feature. This timeline appears to have been pushed back a year, as there’s a possibility the periscope lens could arrive on the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023.
A number of smartphone already feature periscope lenses, including Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra and Huawei’s P40 Pro+. Both of those devices feature up to 10x optical zoom, and with the addition of a periscope lens, the iPhone 15 Pro could follow suit. In the meantime, iPhone 13 Pro models are limited to 3x optical zoom.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via MacRumors