iPhone 15 Pro max expected to launch later this year along with the rest of the iPhone 15 range. The device was previously rumored to be launched, nicknamed the iPhone 15 Ultra. Several reports over the past few months have suggested several improvements and changes in design and specifications over its predecessors. It is expected to feature extra slim bezels with a titanium frame and will likely see a price increase. A new report suggests that this time around, the Pro Max device will feature much-improved optical zoom lenses, based on previous reports.
According to MacRumors reportThe iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to feature a periscope lens that will allow up to 5-6x optical zoom. In June 2022, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recommended that periscope technology would be incorporated into the telephoto lens, allowing up to 6x zoom while capturing photos with the rear camera without distortion or loss of image quality.
With a periscope lens, the light captured by the image sensor is bent or folded, resulting in a larger spacing between the camera modules within the small form factor of the smartphone. This technology enables higher optical zoom and is already being used by some Android companies like Samsung, Google and Huawei, with phones like the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra delivering 5x to 10x optical zoom.
Earlier this year, Kuo specified in a series of tweets that only one model of the iPhone 16 series will come with a periscope lens. Likely included in one of the Pro models, this could be one of Apple’s strategies to boost demand for the high-end model in question.
kuo recommended previously that the upcoming iPhone 15 series will feature USB Type-C ports. However, the Type-C ports on these iPhone models only offer fast charging with specific cables certified by the company.
Another notable analyst, Jeff Pu, suggested in a research note that the iPhone 15 Pro models this year may see a price increase over their predecessors. Pu notes that the cost could be down to several rumored hardware upgrades, including a periscope lens, a new titanium frame and an A17 Bionic chip, along with increased RAM.
It was expected that the iPhone 15 series, at least the two top-tier Pro models, would also feature solid-state buttons with haptic feedback from additional Taptic Engines, but recent reports that Apple likely dropped the plan has. The additional work on this special hardware would mean an increased production time. It was recently reported that Apple is sticking with its two-button design volume rocker to meet production deadlines.
