iPhone 16 Series Set to Elevate Camera Performance with Innovative Features

According to the latest research report from Jibang Consulting, the iPhone 16 series is poised for a significant upgrade in camera capabilities. Both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models will feature a quadruple prism design, supporting 5x optical zoom. Notably, in the iPhone 15 series, only the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max supported this feature.

The report highlights that the four-fold prism structure employed in the iPhone 16 is distinct from Android devices. Despite undergoing four refractions, the CMOS sensor remains flat on the mainboard, leading to a substantial reduction in the camera module’s thickness. Consequently, unlike some flagship Android phones, the iPhone does not exhibit a protruding camera bump.

Additionally, earlier reports suggest that the iPhone 16 Pro Max may become the first smartphone to incorporate a periscope-style telephoto lens, significantly enhancing its optical zoom capabilities. If confirmed, the iPhone 16 Pro Max could set a new standard for smartphone zoom performance, surpassing the current 77mm lens configuration with a 300mm periscope lens.

Summary of iPhone 16 Camera Upgrades Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Apple is expected to officially unveil the iPhone 16 series at this year’s fall event. Although there is still half a year before the launch, exposure information about the iPhone 16 series, particularly related to camera improvements, is already abundant.

Firstly, the standard version of the iPhone 16 will feature a vertically aligned camera design with a pill-shaped protrusion. In other words, the iPhone 16 standard version will redesign the lens module, moving away from the triangular layout seen in the iPhone 15 to a more modern vertical design. It is reported that in the iPhone 16 standard version, the vertical arrangement will house wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lenses, enhancing both the quality of photography and the overall grip of the phone.

Secondly, Apple plans to bring the 3D video recording feature to the standard version. In the iPhone 15 series, only the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models had this feature, but the iPhone 16 standard version is set to offer this functionality. This integration aims to enhance the synergy between the iPhone 16 series and Apple’s Apple Vision Pro.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are expected to feature a 48-megapixel Sony IMX903 custom main camera, equipped with a 1/1.14-inch super-large sensor. Utilizing dual-layer transistor technology, supporting 14-bit ADC and DCG, there will be significant improvements in image quality. The ultra-wide-angle lens in the iPhone 16 Pro series will also be upgraded to a new 48-megapixel sensor.

Consideration is given to adopting a 1MG+7P imitated glass-plastic module for the iPhone 16 Pro series, enhancing optical performance. 1MG+7P refers to one imitated glass lens plus seven plastic lenses. As mentioned by Big Lens Chairman Lynn Lin in 2023, high-end flagship smartphones are expected to adopt mainstream module configurations like 1MG+7P or 1MG+6P in 2024.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max might become the first smartphone to feature a periscope-style telephoto lens. This technology utilizes a high-end approach, redirecting light to the sensor through a combination of a telephoto lens and a reflective mirror, allowing for high-magnification optical zoom and improved photo quality. The rumored periscope-style telephoto lens is said to be a 300mm focal length lens, surpassing the current 77mm lens configuration and delivering astonishing zoom capabilities. Due to the use of the periscope-style telephoto lens, the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s screen size will increase, accompanied by a slight curvature.

Through these innovations, the iPhone 16 series is expected to achieve significant improvements in imaging, sparking increased consumer interest in upgrading their devices.

Android Phones to Embrace Dual Periscope and High-Megapixel Telephoto Trends In reality, periscope-style telephoto lenses are not a new concept for Android phones. Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo mentioned in a 2020 research report that periscope-style telephoto lenses would become the mainstream configuration for smartphone cameras in 2021. Huawei phones equipped with periscope-style telephoto lenses saw a 310% increase in shipments in 2020, reaching around 37 million units.

However, several years have passed, and periscope-style telephoto lenses continue to be a means of competition in smartphone photography. In 2024, high-end flagship Android smartphones are still promoting periscope-style telephoto lenses as a key feature, but with significant improvements compared to the initial configurations.

Firstly, some flagship Android smartphones have started to adopt dual periscope telephoto lenses. For instance, the OPPO Find X7 Ultra features a 65mm portrait focal length and a 135mm telephoto focal length, with one periscope telephoto lens supporting 3x optical zoom and another supporting 6x optical zoom. As OPPO’s new generation imaging flagship, the OPPO Find X7 Ultra maintains and enhances exquisite control over light, shadow, and tone transitions, delivering vibrant and three-dimensional effects in photos. The equivalent 135mm focal length periscope telephoto lens (IMX858) in particular presents more detailed and lifelike portraits, with bokeh technology comparable to professional cameras. Furthermore, the OPPO Find X7 Ultra provides a continuous and smooth 3x to 6x optical zoom experience, addressing the issue of potential image quality decline between different focal lengths commonly found in single periscope telephoto lens setups.

Of course, some manufacturers are opting for higher megapixels. For example, the Honor Magic6 Pro debuts a 180-million-pixel periscope-style telephoto lens, featuring the industry’s largest 1/1.49-inch telephoto sensor, boasting an equivalent 2.24m large pixel size and an F2.6 large aperture. This configuration, coupled with Honor’s improved algorithms, allows the Honor Magic6 Pro to achieve up to 100x digital zoom, delivering outstanding image quality even when capturing distant scenes.

Samsung, which faced criticism for the underperformance of the periscope telephoto lens on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, has made improvements to its periscope-style telephoto lens setup. The 10x periscope telephoto lens on the Galaxy S23 Ultra has been replaced by a 5x periscope telephoto lens on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, featuring a 50-megapixel sensor and supporting 5x optical zoom and 10x optical quality zoom. It enables smooth transitions from 1x to 100x zoom, with AI enhancements enhancing details across the entire zoom range.

Furthermore, Android smartphone manufacturers are exploring the integration of periscope telephoto lenses into mid-to-high-end and even budget-friendly models. A representative example is the Realme 12 Pro series, which is equipped with a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto lens supporting 3x optical zoom, 6x lossless zoom, and an impressive 120x super-long-distance zoom. As highlighted during the Realme 12 Pro series launch event, this configuration is typically found in models in the 4,000 RMB price range.

Conclusion Photography has become a core feature of modern smartphones, and manufacturers are increasingly