Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims to have details about 2024’s iPhone 16 Pro range, and how optical zoom will keep improving up to 2027’s iPhone 19 Pro.
Render of the iPhone 16 Pro and its camera system
Currently, only the iPhone 15 Pro Max features a tetraprism lens, which gives it a greatly increased optical zoom. As previously reported, the forthcoming iPhone 16 Pro is expected to get this improved camera system.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that this is the sole change, that both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature the tetraprism lens. It will be the same model as introduced with 2023’s iPhone 15 Pro Max.
However, in a blog post, Kuo says more significant updates will come with 2025’s iPhone 17 Pro Max.
He says that model, specifically the iPhone 17 Pro Max, will feature an upgraded tetraprism lens to improve both zoom functionality and photo quality. Where the current tetraprism lens has a 1/3.1″ 12MP Contact Image Sensor (CIS), the top 2025 iPhone will have a 1/2.6″ 48MP CIS.
While that will be in the iPhone 17 Pro Max, it’s not known whether it will also be in the iPhone 17 Pro. However, Kuo says that whether it is or not, the new tetraprism camera will be in 2026’s iPhone 18 Pro.
For 2027’s iPhone 19 Pro Max, Kuo says that the tetraprism lens will again be improved. While he has no specific details, he claims the upgrade will be a more substantial and significant one than before.
Kuo says that the iPhone 19 Pro Max will feature a still further improved optical zoom. Apple may not continue to call it a tetraprism lens, though, as one possibility is that more and smaller prisms will be used.
Separately, recent rumors have pointed to the iPhone 16 Pro — and also the regular iPhone 16 — gaining bigger and brighter screens.
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