iPhone 17 Pro Expected to Feature Tetraprism Telephoto Lens and Larger 6.3-Inch Display
The iPhone 15 Pro models received MKBHD’s best camera award for this year, with Samsung being the runner-up in the category. This year, only the iPhone 15 Pro Max features a tetraprism telephoto camera that offers up to 5x optical zoom. The smaller iPhone 15 Pro has the same camera zoom as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, meaning it can only go as far as 3x. The latest information suggests that Apple will include the tetraprism telephoto lens on the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max next year.
According to MacRumors, sources familiar with the matter state that the tetraprism telephoto lens will be available on both models of the iPhone 16 Pro. The latest information lines up with a report from industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Additionally, The Elec also reported the same thing earlier this month. This gives us a pretty clear picture that the company is indeed working on upgraded camera sensors for both models of the iPhone 16 Pro.
If you are unfamiliar with it, the tetraprism telephoto lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a structure with folded glass that reflects light repeatedly. Ultimately, the technology allows the device to zoom up to 5x optically. The iPhone 15 Pro allegedly did not get the tetraprism telephoto upgrade due to its smaller size. The sensor requires some space to operate behind the camera module, which is one of the reasons it is only available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, the design is slated to change next year with the iPhone 16 Pro models.
The upcoming iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature bigger displays than the current models. The company plans to offer the iPhone 16 with a 6.3-inch display and the iPhone 16 Pro Max with a 6.9-inch display. This means the devices will have significant space to host the new tetraprism camera sensor.
The publication details that the camera module on the iPhone 16 Pro will resemble the one inside the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, with even more internal space on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, it remains to be seen if the company plans to offer additional advancements in the camera department. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 16 Pro models in the second half of next year alongside the redesigned Apple Watch models.
Apple is also working on a new ‘Capture Button’ for the iPhone 16 lineup, which will offer functionality related to the camera. It was recently detailed that the Capture Button will allow users to record video. However, there is no word if the button can be mapped to perform different functions.