Apple made a significant leap in smartphone photography by introducing a 5x telephoto camera with the iPhone 13 lineup in 2021, narrowing the gap in zooming capabilities between iPhones and their Android counterparts. This move followed the earlier introduction of a 3x optical zoom for both the Pro and Pro Max models.
Apple on their way of doing things, chose to reserve the 5x optical zoom feature exclusively for the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Based on speculations supported by industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s gave a hint that there could be a potential change in this pattern for the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro.
If the rumors hold and are true, the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to boast a 5x telephoto lens, matching the zoom capabilities of its predecessor, the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It is anticipated that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will also retain the same zoom camera, as Apple typically refrains from introducing major hardware upgrades annually.
Different from the approach taken by many Android manufacturers, Apple opted for tetraprism technology instead of a periscope lens to achieve 5x zoom. Tetraprism and periscope lenses both bend light to achieve higher magnification within the confines of a smartphone, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s tetraprism lens bends light four times, approximating the focal length of a DSLR.
Moreover, the tetraprism lens’s compact design allowed Apple to incorporate an advanced stabilization system into the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s telephoto lens. This system combines traditional optical image stabilization with a sensor-shift autofocus module capable of movement in three directions, marking a groundbreaking feature for smartphones.
While the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x zoom image quality might not consistently match that of some Android devices, Apple is expected to address this in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max by refining camera algorithms for enhanced optimization. As Apple continues to push the boundaries of smartphone photography, users can anticipate even more impressive imaging capabilities in the upcoming iPhone iterations.