Apple's iPhone 14 Pro models are set to get an even larger rear camera array, according to several recent reports.
iPhone 14 Pro concept render by Ian Zelbo based on purported leaked informationApple has progressively increased the size of the iPhone's rear camera housing over time as the device has transitioned from a small, flush single Wide lens on the iPhone 5S to a large, square, multi-lens array on the iPhone 11 Pro. Apple increased the size of the rear camera system further with the iPhone 12 Pro, and then once again with the iPhone 13 Pro. Multiple reports about the iPhone 14 Pro now indicate that Apple plans to continue this trend in 2022, resulting in the iPhone's largest-ever rear camera array.
Alleged leaked schematics of the iPhone 14 Pro models shared by Max Weinbach indicate that the rear camera plateau will increase by around five percent in each dimension compared to the iPhone 13 models, growing from a width of 35.01mm to 36.73mm and a height of 36.24mm to 38.21mm. A similar size increase has also been shown on molds of the iPhone 14 lineup, dummy models, and third-party cases.
Initial renders purportedly based on leaked information from Jon Prosser claimed that the iPhone 14 Pro could be the first iPhone to have a flush rear camera array, bringing an end to the protruding cameras that have lingered on the iPhone for almost a decade since the launch of the iPhone 6. Weinbach's schematics suggest that this is not the case, and the iPhone 14 Pro's rear camera array will protrude from the device even more, increasing from 3.60mm on the iPhone 13 Pro to 4.17mm on the iPhone 14 Pro.
The increased size of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max's rear camera array is due to all-new 48-megapixel Wide camera systems, according to reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a recent tweet, Kuo responded to Weinbach's leaked schematics, commenting that "the main reason for the larger and more prominent camera bump" is due to "upgrading the rear camera to 48MP." He added that the diagonal length of the iPhone's contact image sensor (CIS) is set to increase by to 25 to 35 percent with the jump to 48MP. Likewise, the height of the camera's lens system will increase by five to ten percent.
Further unverified information shared on Weibo suggests that the iPhone 14 Pro could have a sensor up to 57 percent larger, and the larger camera bump has also been supported by other CAD renders shared on Twitter. All of this information has been amalgamated in renders by Apple concept designer Ian Zelbo.
Along with the replacement of the notch with a new, pill and hole-punch TrueDepth camera array design, the 48MP Wide camera is among the iPhone 14 Pro's most widely rumored features, having been repeatedly mentioned by Kuo, Taiwanese research firm TrendForce, and Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu.
The 48MP camera system is expected to be limited to the iPhone 14 Pro models and facilitate 8K video recording, offering a significant upgrade over the iPhone 13 Pro's 12MP camera and 4K video recording capabilities. High-resolution 8K videos recorded with the iPhone 14 Pro are also said to be be suitable for viewing on Apple's long-rumored AR/VR headset.
Kuo has previously said that he believes that the camera quality of the iPhone 14 Pro models will "elevate mobile phone camera photography to a new level." For more information about the iPhone 14 Pro, see our detailed roundup.
