Apple launched iPhone 7 Plus back in 2016, which probably was the first phone to have a dedicated telephoto camera. But the company has been quite conservative with focal lengths since and now a report has said that this won’t be changing before 2023.
Ming-Chi Kuo, who is a well-respected TF Securities analyst, has reportedly published a research report saying the iPhones will adopt a “periscopic telephoto lens” in 2023. The analyst has predicted that more smartphone brands will be adopting the 8P lenses starting from 2H22-1H23, and Apple will adopt the periscope telephoto lens in 2023. If you don’t know, Kuo previously had said that iPhones were expected to adopt a periscope lens in 2022, but his latest report has postponed it by a year. In the past, we already have heard rumors about the Cupertino giant’s work on a periscopic lens that would allow for significant improvements in optical zoom capabilities.
Periscope Lens in iPhone Will Allow 5x Optical Zoom
At the moment, the existing iPhones currently have a maximum of 2.5x optical zoom, which comes along with 12x digital zoom. But, seeing existing smartphones, such as the Huawei P30 Pro, have already adopted the periscope lens technology. Take the example of the Huawei P30 Pro, it allows for 5x optical zoom. Now seeing a periscope lens in the 2023 iPhone models can add similar zoom capabilities to the phone. Apple’s zoom capabilities are currently in no match with other smartphone manufacturers, such as Samsung, which has a 100x zoom feature.
In addition to the periscopic lens technology for iPhones in 2023, Ming-Chi Kuo also shared a few details on the 2021 and 2022 iPhones. In 2021 iPhones, Apple could adopt a new Face ID transmitter that’s made from a plastic material instead of using the glass, said Kuo. The tech giant will reportedly make it possible using improved coating technologies. Further, the high-end iPhone models in 2021 are predicted to feature an upgraded ultra-wide lens. However, the company will focus more on telephoto lenses for rear-facing cameras on high-end iPhones in 2022.
For the 2022 iPhone models, Apple is expected to adopt a new “unibody lens design,” which will reportedly be done to reduce the size of the front camera module. Previously, the analyst had said that the 2022 iPhones will transition from a notch to a hole-punch design display. The company is expected to use the hole-punch design for high-end iPhone models releasing in 2022. So, we should get to see iPhones with hole-punch displays as early as next year, which currently is adopted by some Android smartphones.
