A new report from DigiTimes claims Apple will be bringing on another supply chain partner for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, as the Cupertino firm is looking to add an additional camera lens module producer for its new periscope camera.
The upcoming iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to boast a new periscope camera system, which would allow light entering the telephoto lens on the back of the iPhone to be reflected by an angled mirror towards the camera’s image sensor. That would allow Apple to fit a longer telephoto setup inside the iPhone, allowing users to zoom in closer without any blurriness.
Rumors like this have been circulating since early 2020, with reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also mentioning the possibility. Kuo initially claimed that a periscope lens would be a feature on the iPhone 14 Pro, but it now appears that we’ll have to wait until the iPhone 15 Pro’s 2023 release.
If the iPhone does gain a periscope camera system, it will join a growing list of Android smartphones with periscope lenses, including Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra and Huawei’s P40 Pro+.
Previously, we saw reports suggesting Largan Precision would be the sole supplier of the periscope lens system. However, industry sources cited by DigiTimes now claim that Genius Electronic Optical (GSEO) will be brought on as an additional supplier of the module.
Kuo also believes both iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024 will use the same or similar periscope lens as the one used in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple supplier Genius could start supplying periscope lenses for the iPhone 16, said Kuo back in March.