Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo today released a new report detailing his research on which lens suppliers will begin providing parts for Apple in the coming years.
We predict that Semco, the best Korean lens supplier, and Sunny Optical, the best Chinese lens supplier, will enter the Apple lens supply chain in 2H20 and 2021, respectively.
The new suppliers are said to hurt the revenue of Genius Electronic Optical, which presently provides lenses for Apple.
While the ins and outs of which suppliers source Apple's parts may not be of great interest to consumers, Kuo references another shift that will be of interest to iPhone buyers. Kuo believes that Semco will be providing a large percentage of new periscope telephoto lenses to Apple for the 2022 iPhone.
Kuo previously reported on Apple's design plans for periscope lenses in conjunction with Taiwanese supplier Genius Electronic Optical, though it seems those plans may have changed.
Periscope lenses have already seen their way into some smartphones and provide manufacturers a way to provide much higher optical zoom in a smartphone-sized package. Huawei, for example, ships the P30 Pro which offers a 5x true optical zoom using a similar mechanism. A 10x optical zoom phone is reportedly also in the works from Huawei.
Apple has filed patents related to periscope lenses as recently as 2016. According to the description included in the patent, light would be channeled into the camera through a primary lens, bounced off of the included mirror in the smartphone, and then would be sent to a secondary lens that moves up and down for the purpose of zooming in. Apple describes it as a "folded telephoto camera lens system".
Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs.
On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by Juli Clover
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week.
Past Launch Dates
Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone.
In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports.
iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch.
According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by Tim Hardwick
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020.
If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
iPhones honestly seem like they need to pick up the pace with the lack of optical zoom. It’s 2020 and the flagship iPhone currently only has 2x optical zoom yet Huawei is packing in 5x optical zoom and likely will soon push out 10x. Apple has got to step their game up.
Completely agree. Apple is falling wayyyyyyy behind the competition. 2X optical zoom is unacceptable in 2020 (and 2019 when 11 Pro Max was released last year). Apple really should implement 100X zoom like S20 Ultra and P40 Pro+, but do it in a much better way that doesnt scarifice quality. I need ultra crisp and clear long range zoom.
That’s the whole point, no? Companies like Samsung can do it so early because they sacrifice the implementation for the sake of being first.
Agreed, zoom would be very nice. I suppose that it is really difficult to make a good optical zoom in such a small camera (distortion issues or whatsoever...), and that Apple wants to make it right rather than make it fast (Hello SpyHuawei).
iPhones honestly seem like they need to pick up the pace with the lack of optical zoom. It’s 2020 and the flagship iPhone currently only has 2x optical zoom yet Huawei is packing in 5x optical zoom and likely will soon push out 10x. Apple has got to step their game up.
Completely agree. Apple is falling wayyyyyyy behind the competition. 2X optical zoom is unacceptable in 2020 (and 2019 when 11 Pro Max was released last year). Apple really should implement 100X zoom like S20 Ultra and P40 Pro+, but do it in a much better way that doesnt scarifice quality. I need ultra crisp and clear long range zoom.
