Apple is reportedly planning to add a periscope lens to its iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is expected to launch in 2023. A periscope lens is a type of camera lens that uses a prism or mirror to bend light and achieve greater optical zoom without increasing the thickness of the phone.
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple may bring another supplier for its periscope lens, besides Samsung Electro-Mechanics (SEMCO), which is currently the main provider of this technology for Apple. Kuo believes that Apple may diversify its supply chain to reduce costs and risks, and that another Korean company, LG Innotek, could be a potential candidate.
Periscope lens technology has been used by some smartphone makers, such as Huawei, Oppo, and Samsung, to offer up to 10x optical zoom and impressive levels of digital zoom. Apple’s current iPhone models have a maximum of 3x optical zoom with the telephoto lens, and up to 10x digital zoom with software processing.
A periscope lens would allow Apple to significantly improve the zoom capabilities of its iPhone cameras, without compromising on the design or quality of the device. It is not clear how much optical zoom Apple’s periscope lens would offer, but it could be somewhere between 5x and 10x, depending on the physical length of the lens and the size of the sensor.
Apple has been known to prioritize camera performance and innovation in its iPhone lineup, and a periscope lens could be a major selling point for the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, it is possible that this feature may be exclusive to the highest-end model, at least for the first year, as Apple often does with new technologies.
Periscope lens technology is still relatively new and complex, and it may take some time for Apple to perfect it and make it widely available. However, given Apple’s track record and reputation in the smartphone camera market, we can expect that when it does launch, it will be impressive and well-received by consumers and critics alike.
