As anticipation builds for Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 series, the rumor mill has highlighted some potential camera upgrades that could change how we use our iPhones for photography.
The camera system has always been a cornerstone of Apple's iPhone, and this year Apple appears set to push the envelope even further. As the iPhone 16 launch in September approaches, all eyes will be on how the following changes might maintain Apple's competitive edge in an increasingly crowded market.
1. Vertical Camera Layout
iPhone 16 & iPhone 16 Plus
Apple's iPhone 16 base models will feature a vertical camera arrangement with a pill-shaped raised surface, instead of a diagonal camera arrangement like the iPhone 15. The new camera bump features two separate camera rings for the Wide and Ultrawide cameras. The vertical camera layout is expected to enable Spatial Video recording, which is currently limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models.
2. Ultra Wide Lens Upgrade
iPhone 16 Pro & iPhone 16 Pro Max
The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature an upgraded 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera lens, which would allow it to capture more light, resulting in improved photos when shooting in 0.5× mode, especially in low-light environments. This also means that iPhone 16 Pro models should be able to shoot 48-megapixel ProRAW photos in Ultra Wide mode. These photos retain more detail in the image file for more editing flexibility, and can be printed at large sizes.
3. Super Telephoto Camera
iPhone 16 Pro Max
The iPhone 16 Pro Max could be the first iPhone to feature a super telephoto periscope camera for dramatically increased optical zoom. "Super" or "ultra" telephoto usually describes cameras with a focal length of over 300mm. The current telephoto lens is equivalent to a 77mm lens, so if accurate, there could be a notable increase in zoom capabilities. Super telephoto cameras are often used for sports and wild animal photography, but the extremely soft backgrounds they create also make them useful for portrait photography, providing there is enough distance between the subject and the photographer.
4. Tetraprism Lens
iPhone 16 Pro
Both iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature 5x optical zoom, which is currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple's tetraprism lens system has a "folded" design that allows it to fit inside the smartphone, enabling up to 5x optical zoom and up to 25x digital zoom. In contrast, the current smaller iPhone 15 Pro is limited to up to 3x optical zoom, which is in line with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
5. Reduced Lens Flare
All iPhone 16 Models
Apple is said to be testing a new anti-reflective optical coating technology for its iPhone cameras that could improve the quality of photos by reducing artifacts like lens flare and ghosting. Apple plans to bring new atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment into the iPhone camera lens manufacturing process to apply the coating. ALD-applied materials can also protect against environmental damage to the camera lens system without affecting the sensor's ability to capture light effectively.
6. Capture Button
All iPhone 16 Models
All iPhone 16 models will have a new camera-based "Capture Button" dedicated to quickly triggering image or video capture. The button will add features like the ability to zoom in and out by swiping left and right on the button, focus on a subject with a light press, and activate a recording with a more forceful press. The Capture Button will be located on the bottom right side of the iPhone 16, and will take the place of the mmWave antenna on U.S. iPhone models, with the antenna relocating to the left side of the device below the volume and Action buttons.
