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Apple is making significant changes to the camera system of its upcoming iPhone 15 Pro Max model, according to recent reports. The company is set to incorporate periscope camera technology exclusively in the larger handset, requiring a rearrangement of the triple-lens camera layout on the device.
The periscope lens system, which enables 5x or 6x optical zoom, will be introduced for the first time in the telephoto camera of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. In contrast, the smaller iPhone 15 Pro is expected to retain the 3x optical zoom featured in its predecessor, the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The decision to limit the periscope technology to the iPhone 15 Pro Max likely stems from the need for additional internal space to accommodate the advanced hardware. Even with the extra room available in the Pro Max model, Apple has had to reorganize the camera module to accommodate the periscope system.
In the current iPhone 14 Pro Max, when held in landscape orientation with the Side button at the top, the telephoto lens is located closest to the top corner of the device, while the ultra-wide lens sits between the flash and LiDAR sensor.
However, in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the ultra-wide lens will be positioned in the corner of the camera array, with the telephoto lens taking its place between the flash and LiDAR. This reconfiguration allows Apple to create more internal space for the complex folded optics of the periscope system.
A periscope lens system typically utilizes a primary lens to capture an image, with an angled mirror or prism redirecting the light 90 degrees towards a secondary lens, which then transmits it to the image sensor. The sideways placement of the image sensor and secondary lens inside the smartphone extends the focal length but occupies valuable surface area.
Due to the angle at which light is reflected in this system, the telephoto lens in the iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to be square-shaped, deviating from the circular telephoto lens found in the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Although the camera cutout will remain circular, the actual lens inside will be square.
Visually, the next-generation iPhone model will appear unchanged from its predecessor, with no noticeable differences in the lens array. However, the internal hardware layout will undergo significant alterations.
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This information was brought to light by researcher Unknownz21, who recently confirmed that Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, set to be released in the following year, will also feature the periscope zoom camera technology. Notably, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had initially disclosed this upcoming change.
Additionally, it is anticipated that the displays of the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models will be slightly larger than those of the previous generation. The increased internal space resulting from these larger sizes likely contributes to Apple’s ability to introduce the periscope lens to both premium devices in 2024.
