iPhone 16 Pro Camera Upgrades: New Information
One of the most anticipated upgrades in each new iPhone iteration is the camera. The next iPhone is expected to be released several months from now, however, supply chain experts are already divulging updates about the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera specifications.
This time, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shares insights regarding the iPhone camera suppliers which contain significant information about the iPhone 16 Pro’s cameras. More specifically the new ultra wide lens that is expected to replace the ultra wide camera of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Apple is rumored to incorporate a new 48MP/0.7um/(1/2.6") lens. Let’s try to break this down compared to the current 12MP/1.0um/(1/3.6") lens of the iPhone 15 Pro (and Pro Max).
New Ultra Wide Camera
Megapixels: The new camera is expected with 48MP vs 12MP today. The higher resolution is great for capturing a lot of details and is beneficial if you need to crop or zoom into your photos without losing much clarity. Despite the higher megapixel count, the image output from the ultra-wide camera is anticipated to be optimized to 12MP, potentially yielding sharper, higher-quality images.
Pixel Size: The pixels in the 48MP camera are expected to be smaller, at 0.7 micrometers (vs 1.0 micrometers today). Smaller pixels can capture finer details but are generally less effective in low light conditions, as they gather less light. However, the larger sensor size is expected to offset this.
Sensor Size: The upcoming 48MP camera's sensor is 1/2.6 inches diagonally. This is a moderately large size for a smartphone camera, offering a good balance between image quality and physical size. The larger sensor is expected to enhance low light performance, producing images with less noise.
What could this mean for Spatial Video?
Spatial Video on the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max is capped at 1080p / 30fps. Although we cannot be certain of how the video streams of the main wide angle lens and the ultra wide camera are stitched together, enhancements in the ultra-wide camera's quality might pave the way for 4K spatial video capabilities.
New 5X Telephoto Lens
The new tetra prism 5X lens is also expected to be included in both the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max iPhones which is a step forward from this years where only the larger 15 Pro Max houses the new 5X lens. One of the reasons is that the sensor is simply larger and the smaller 6.1 form factor is unable to accomodate the 5X camera. However, with the anticipated size upgrade to 6.3 and 6.9 inch iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max respectively, both models will be capable of accommodating the new 5X lens.
As all the aforementioned information is based on early leaks, it's advisable to consider these details with a degree of skepticism since these specifications could be based on false information or simply change as we are still early in the development process of the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.
