Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max expected to feature an upgraded and larger main camera sensor
Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max isn’t expected to be officially unveiled until this coming September, but the leaks are starting to come thick and fast ahead of that time. The latest suggests that buyers can look forward to a sizeable camera upgrade that won’t be part of the smaller iPhone 16 Pro’s arsenal. That upgrade will reportedly see the new iPhone 16 Pro Max gain an upgraded main camera sensor that will make it an “image flagship,” a quote that suggests Apple could be about to lean heavily on camera performance for its upcoming model.
The report, via MacRumors, comes from Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station and suggests that the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s main camera will be based on a customized 48-megapixel Sony IMX903 sensor. The sensor will offer advanced features including a 14-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) and Digital Gain Control (DCG). The two improvements should ensure higher-quality image data conversion and improved noise control and dynamic range respectively.
The Weibo post also backs up previous claims that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a larger camera sensor than previous models. The iPhone 15 Pro has a 1/1.28-inch sensor for example, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max will reportedly bump that to 1/1.14-inches in size. Such a change would allow the sensor to collect more light which in turn could make for improved low-light shots and the reduction of noise. It could also enable a more natural bokeh effect and reduce the iPhone’s reliance on artificial effects when taking portrait shots.
MacRumors notes that the Weibo post also mentioned that the 2024 Pro iPhones will have a slightly more curved screen design when compared to the iPhone 15 lineup. The devices are expected to come in at around the same thickness, however.
Apple announced the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro families of devices in September 2023 and it’s expected to replace those with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro handsets in or around September of this year. The new iPhones will likely be joined by at least one Apple Watch as well. The Apple Watch will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year and it’s been suggested that Apple will launch an Apple Watch X model to commemorate the occasion. We may also see a refreshed Apple Watch Ultra model while the third-gen Apple Watch SE could also make an appearance after the 2nd-gen wasn’t updated last year.
With September still a few months away we can expect to see plenty more leaks and rumors between now and then so the story might change significantly before we reach launch day.