If you’ve been waiting for an iPhone handset with a periscope camera lens, it might be wise to skip the iPhone 14, according to new reports.
Apple has reportedly found its supplier for the technology, which would make it possible for a greater optical zoom camera, and plans to launch it within the iPhone 15.
According to South Korea’s The Elec, the company is working with new supply partner Jahwa Electronics, as well as LG on the components for 2023’s iPhone line up. The company has patents specialising in foldable zoom technology, the report says.
The report said Jahwa plans to spend the equivalent of $155 million on the facilities required to built the optical image stabilisation actuator designed to be used in the telephoto lens. LG would take it from there, the report says.
Should the report become a reality, it would enable Apple to catch up to many Android manufacturers who’ve been using periscope-type lenses in order to improve the optical zoom distance on smartphones.
Traditionally, cameras have used the depth within the lens to access greater zoom distances without the loss of visual fidelity. Of course, with modern smartphones thinner than a centimetre, that isn’t possible.
So an effective periscope, just like the ones you used to make in school, can be used to reflect the light and artificially. We could finally see an iPhone with an optical zoom length upwards of 5x in 2023. So, if you’re considering an iPhone 14 Pro Max later this year, you might consider making that iPhone 11, 12 or 13 last another year.
