Kuo: iPhone 16 Pro Models to Adopt Stacked Camera Sensor Design

Apple's iPhone 16 series next year will adopt a stacked rear camera sensor design across the lineup, following similar adoption in this year's standard iPhone 15 models, according to Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPhone 15 Blue Three Quarters Perspective Feature
This year's lower-end ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌‌iPhone 15‌‌ Plus models are expected to feature a 48-megapixel rear camera lens with a stacked CMOS image sensor (CIS) design that can capture more light.

Production yield issues of the new sensor design have likely prevented Apple from adopting it across all ‌iPhone 15‌ models this year, and while Sony's high-end CIS capacity is expected to remain tight through 2024, Apple has secured most of Sony's orders ahead of time.

According to Kuo, Sony's tight capacity is expected to benefit rival supplier Will Semi, which will obtain more orders for high-end CIS from Chinese smartphone brands as a result.

Rumors suggest the 48-megapixel wide-angle camera used in the iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature an eight-part hybrid lens with two glass elements and six plastic elements, along with improvements for the telephoto and ultra wide camera lenses.

Both the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ and the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max could get periscope telephoto lenses in 2024. In 2023, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max will be the only device to get the new camera technology because of size constraints.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

vseera Avatar
25 months ago
This article is confusing :/

So does that mean that only the lower end models will feature this new and improved stacked sensor this year? That makes no sense.

Shouldn’t the Pro models get the feature first, before it trickles down to the standard models?
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Schizoid Avatar
25 months ago
Does this bloke know about the iPhone 17 too?
Prediction: It’ll be better
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
25 months ago
I don't know why people think this article is so confusing. To determine which phone will get the upgraded sensors first, one simply must use the following basic equation, where Standard Model = normal iPhone:



Attachment Image
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eldaerenth Faexidor Avatar
25 months ago
The majority of iPhone buyers don’t really care about the technology behind their little camera setup. I like to catch flying birds so I kinda care. Yesterday I found my old iPhone 3G. Look at how tiny that camera module is! The iPhone camera has come a long way since. Looking forward to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.


Attachment Image
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MarcoPohlo Avatar
25 months ago

This article is confusing :/

So does that mean that only the lower end models will feature this new and improved stacked sensor this year? That makes no sense.

Shouldn’t the Pro models get the feature first, before it trickles down to the standard models?
Also didn't understand that part, so this year Apple is adding superior tech to the regular lineup? It has always been the other way around. Very confusing indeed.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iPadified Avatar
25 months ago
A lens does not have pixels. A lens is a piece of transparent glass or plastic or other medium and is certainly not pixelated. A lens maybe sit in from of a 48 M Pixel sensor but that is something completely different. I seen this sloppy writing too many times lately.

End Friday rant.

/M
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)