Reliable analyst tweets not to expect Apple to deploy an 8-element lens on the 2023 iPhones
Next year's iPhone 15 series is supposed to feature a new look with several improvements being made to the cameras. One such rumor calls for Apple to use an 8-element (8P) lens for the main camera on the Pro models, up from the current 7-element lens employed on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. These elements correct distortions to help the camera deliver sharper images. On the other hand, adding more elements can also be bad since they could cause reflections that result in flares.
Kuo says not to expect an 8-element lens for the iPhone 15 main camera
Even though a higher number of elements might seem like something positive, it really isn't good or bad. For those who think that more elements are a positive, reliable TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has tweeted some bad news. Kuo's tweet says that "I think the rumored iPhone 15 Pro series' adoption of an 8P lens won't likely come true." That would leave the lenses for the main cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro models at 7 elements.
Reliable analyst Kuo says not to expect 8 element lenses for the iPhone 15 Pro's main camera
Since Apple just went from 6 elements to 7 on the Pro camera system this year, expecting the company to change it again next year might be too much to ask. What we could see is a periscope lens telephoto camera that would use prisms to reflect light to the camera sensor. Already used on many Android phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and the Google Pixel 7 Pro, this system allows for greater optical zoom capabilities than what normally might be possible considering the size of and the internal space inside a smartphone.
If Apple does decide to go with a periscope lens for next year's iPhone, it might make it exclusive to the iPhone 15 Ultra which could replace the Pro Max model as the most capable and premium iPhone available. Apple already has perfected the art of the upsell by differentiating the Pro and non-Pro iPhone models. And now it might start adding what we would call "specs separation" between the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Ultra by using the periscope lens for the telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Ultra only.
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra models are also supposed to get a bump in memory next year to 8GB from the current 6GB. The iPhone 14 non-Pro models also sport 6GB of RAM this year, but the cheaper models use the slower LPDDR4 variant instead of the faster and newer LPDDR5 version (it's a prime example of subtle differentiation).
Not only does it seem likely that we will see a new design for the iPhone 15 series, but the iPhone is also overdue for a price increase. Sorry, but it's true. With a new design, this would be the time to expect Apple to jack up the pricing of its most important product. Heck, it recently raised the price of some of its services like Apple Music, Apple TV+, and the Apple One bundle plans.
2023 promises to be a very exciting year for the iPhone
Even though the iPhone 14 series is still very new, time has a habit of moving fast. Before you know it, renders of the iPhone 15 will be all over the place and the game will be on. Next year though, we have plenty of excitement to look forward to with the rumored redesign, the periscope camera, the USB-C charging port, and the possibility of a new top-of-the-line iPhone in the iPhone 15 Ultra.
We'd also expect an iPhone 15 Ultra to have a larger-sized display to set it apart from the Pro Max line. Additionally, Apple has done such a magnificent job improving the battery life on its handsets that all other flagship smartphones are going to feel inadequate (obviously the Moto G Power is not a flagship).
In two months, 2022 comes to an end and 2023 kicks off. Smartphone enthusiasts, brace yourself.
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