Tipster says iPhone 15 series will be the first global phones to use a hybrid lens technology

According to a tweet from tipster RcloudS (via MacRumors), the upcoming iPhone 15 series will include the first global smartphones to use a hybrid lens technology. The lenses for the primary Wide cameras will be made of one glass element and 6 plastic elements. Currently, the lenses on the iPhone 14 series primary Wide cameras consist of seven plastic elements. The aperture will be f/1.7 which is a slight upgrade over the f/1.79 aperture on the iPhone 14 Pro models, but a downgrade from the f/1.5 aperture found on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.

The tweet notes that with the wider aperture for the lenses on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, the primary Wide camera on those devices will capture 15%-20% more light. As a result, these cameras would be expected to produce improved images with better color.

By allowing more light to be captured by the camera, photos snapped in low-light environments will look better and will also allow the photographer to shoot at faster shutter speeds. It can also improve the bokeh effect which blurs the background of a photo to make the subject in the foreground stand out. All four iPhone 15 models are expected to use the 48MP Sony IMX803 image sensor this year. That is the same sensor currently employed by the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Next year's iPhone 16 Pro Max is rumored to include a primary Wide camera made up of eight elements. Continuing along the hybrid path, the lens will consist of two glass elements and six plastic elements. The top-of-the-line iPhone model next year might also debut five and six-element hybrid lenses for the telephoto and ultra-wide cameras reportedly supplied by Sunny Optical Technology.

There could be a tad over six weeks remaining from today until Apple unveils the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. We should also see Apple introduce the new Apple Watch Series 9 timepieces, a second-generation Apple Watch Ultra, and possibly other devices as well.

The tweet by the tipster notes that the hybrid lens technology has only been used by Chinese brands on models sold domestically which would make the iPhone 15 line the first to break out this technology on phones sold globally.