Apple’s tetraprism lens technology, which debuted exclusively on iPhone 15 Pro Max in 2023, should trickle down to this year’s iPhone 16 Pro, a new report has it.
A new report from Trendforce on the smartphone camera lens market indicates that the tetraprism lens will expand to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
If you’re among the people who desperately wanted 5x optical zoom but still passed on the iPhone 15 Pro Max because of its high price, then this year’s iPhone 16 Pro with tetraprism lens design should be a much better fit for you.
iPhone16 Pro could get tetraprism lens for 5x optical zoom
Extending the zoom range on the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s telephoto lens from 3x to 5x, tetraprism technology takes advantage of a folded glass structure below the lens in order to lengthen the path that light traverses inside the device.
Because light travels longer in the same space, you get a new focal length “that really goes the distance.” By contrast, a periscope lens (also known as a zoom or foldable lens) diverts light through a prism to enable deeper optical zoom.
Earlier reporting backs this rumor. For instance, revered Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted in May 2023 that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models would both feature tetraprism lenses. And in January, Kuo predicted the iPhone 16 Pros would upgrade the ultra wide camera to a 48-megapixel resolution.