Apple Likely to Add Second Periscope Lens Supplier for iPhone 15 Pro Max

Apple is likely to bring on board another supply partner for the iPhone 15 Pro Max as it seeks to recruit an additional lens module specialist for the device's new periscope camera.

iPhone 15 Pro Periscope Mock Feature 2
This year's iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to include a periscope camera system, in which light entering the telephoto lens is reflected by an angled mirror towards the camera's image sensor.

The change in direction in which the light travels allows for a longer "folded" telephoto setup inside phones, enabling users to zoom in further without any blurriness or other reduction in quality. The system is expected to add a 5-6x optical zoom to Apple's next premium iPhone model (the current iPhone 14 Pro supports up to 3x optical zoom).

Previous reports suggested Largan Precision would be the sole supplier of the periscope system. Largan's periscope lenses were first to launch in 2019, when they debuted in the Huawei P30 Pro smartphone.

However, industry sources cited by DigiTimes now claim that Genius Electronic Optical (GSEO) has been identified as an additional supplier of the module. GSEO shipped periscope lenses to a Japanese handset vendor in 2021, the outlet's sources said.

Apple industry analyst Kuo believes both iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024 will use the same or similar periscope lens as the one used exclusively in the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max, with Apple continuing its trend of setting apart standard and Pro models by reserving certain higher-end hardware features for the latter.

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Top Rated Comments

Dater Avatar
24 months ago
What I really don't like is that Largan Precision already can produce 10x zoom periscope lenses for other phone companies with ease, but Apple forces them to build 6x lenses in 2023 so they have still enough head room for "improvements" for the next iPhone iterations. 7x in 2024, 8x for 2025 and so on... To use an old German proverb: "They are milking their cows until only blood comes out of the udder!"
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
redbeard331 Avatar
24 months ago
5-6x in late 2023 is a fail, should be pushing 12-15x by now.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wesley96 Avatar
24 months ago
I shoot tons of photos with my iPhone, so it would be quite disappointing to see Apple segmenting the camera feature between the largest and the second largest models again. I hated it when this happened back in the iPhone 6s days when the OIS was included only in the Plus version and again when iPhone 12 Pro Max was given a 2.5x optical zoom while Pro stayed at 2x. I bought the 6s Plus but hated the size. When the 12 series came out I just skipped altogether. That periscope camera better be extremely good…
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dalestrauss Avatar
24 months ago

What I really don't like is that Largan Precision already can produce 10x zoom periscope lenses for other phone companies with ease, but Apple forces them to build 6x lenses in 2023 so they have still enough head room for "improvements" for the next iPhone iterations. 7x in 2024, 8x for 2025 and so on... To use an old German proverb: "They are milking their cows until only blood comes out of the udder!"
There is NO REASON not to go with the 10x telephoto in 2023 - Samsung has had it for four model years already. Dater is absolutely right. This is nothing more than an annual/biannual money grab for upgrades, and like the sucker I am [family (especially grandkids) would shun me for leaving the walled garden] I'll end up feeding Apple's cash cow and becoming more fodder...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DocMultimedia Avatar
24 months ago
Upgrade for me isn't looking likely without the periscope in the Pro. If Apple is going to have different features in the two Pro models they need to change the name. iPhone, iPhone Pro, iPhone Ultra. First two available in two sizes, latter just one.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cyanite Avatar
24 months ago

I hope that Apple fails grandly with its model policy. Periscope lens would be interesting inside a standard 15 Pro model and I have considered switching to the iPhone 15 Pro as soon as it became available for a price of around 1000€ (like the iPhone 14 Pro currently is). But if there is a subdivision within the Pro range again, I'm out.
However, such a lens design does take up a fair amount of space inside the device, since the light path is on its side.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)