Tetraprism Camera Tech: Get Ready for the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max!
Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is said to bring tetraprism camera technology to its Pro models next year – iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. This advancement offers at least 5x optical zoom and 25x digital zoom, especially on telephoto lenses.
According to a recent report by The Elec, Apple plans to include LG Innotek as an additional supplier for the folded zoom module, which is an important part of the technology. This strategic transfer aims to ensure sufficient production yields to meet the increasing demand for units.
In the current iPhone lineup, the iPhone 15 Pro has a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x zoom, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max has an improved telephoto system that allows for 5x zoom.
Underneath the lens of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a folded glass structure that Apple calls tetraprism technology. This model reflects light four times and extends the focal length to 120 mm.
According to MacRumors, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has consistently predicted the introduction of a tetraprism lens that offers up to 5x optical zoom in both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max next year.
Rumors also suggest that the iPhone 16 Pro may have a larger 6.3-inch display compared to the iPhone 15 Pro’s 6.1-inch display. This possible increase in size could create more internal space to accommodate a tetraprism lens.
According to MacRumors, Apple will increase the size of the Pro series iPhones next year. The standard iPhone 16 and 16 Plus models have a 60 Hz display, similar to the iPhone 15. Meanwhile, the Pro versions are likely to offer a higher refresh rate with a 120Hz display.
According to the report, the company is also planning a design change for the regular iPhone 16 models, possibly returning to the vertical camera layout seen on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini.
In addition, the iPhone 15 Pro models released in September introduced a new Action Button, which replaces the iconic mute switch. This button allows users to perform various actions.
Interestingly, Apple limited this feature to the iPhone 15 Pro models and excluded it from the regular iPhone 15 models. While this isn’t really a mandatory feature, another report from MacRumors suggested that the entire iPhone 16 lineup could come with an Action Button in 2024.