IPhone 16 Pro Will Have The Same Zoom 5x Camera As Pro Max

The iPhone 16 Pro will have a telephoto of 5 x zoom (photo: x @theapplehub)

JAKARTA - On the iPhone 15 Pro Max with a 6.7-inch screen, there is a tetraprism camera that offers up to 5x optical zoom for telephoto lenses. However, the smaller iPhone 15 Pro with a 6.1-inch screen does not get this upgrade and remains with 3x zoom.

However, both the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in 2024 will get the same 5x telephoto lens. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, this camera will have specifications identical to those introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The analyst also indicated that a more significant increase would appear in the years to come.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are expected to launch in September 2024, just a few months away. Thanks to the inclusion of 5x cameras in both pro sizes, Kuo estimates component shipments will increase by about 160%.

What's even more interesting is what customers can expect in the years to come. Kuo said that the high-end iPhone 17 model, which is slated for release by the end of 2025, will get a tetraprism camera with a 48-megapixel sensor.

Sensor sizes will also increase to 1/2.6 inches, which is likely to improve image quality and low light sensitivity. However, Kuo is not sure if this upgraded tetraprism camera will only be available on the iPhone 17 Pro Max or will be included in both sizes.

Looking further into 2027, the 'iPhone 19' is scheduled to receive another significant increase in telephoto cameras. Kuo believes this upgrade will include improvements over the optical range, which likely involve more prisms to increase the light path length, and thus enable optical zoom of more than 5x. Naturally, this design will no longer be referred to as tetraprism, as it will have more than five internal reflectors.