iPhone 15 Pro Max is the only model will be equipped with a periscope lens

The first modern smartphone with a telephoto lens may have been developed by Apple, but it will be one of the last to use a periscope design camera. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has refined some of his earlier claims about Apple's periscope - it will come next year, but only to the iPhone 15 Pro Max (in other words, the smaller iPhone 15 Pro will stick to a regular tele lens).

According to Kuo, the periscope will feature a 12MP 1/3" sensor with sensor shift stabilization and 6x magnification. The 5x rumor appears to have been incorrect; however, it's possible that the final number has not yet been determined (the iPhone 15 series is over a year away). 6x is double the magnification of the iPhone 13 Pro twins, which include three lenses.

The best camera hardware has previously been used on the iPhone with the greatest pixel count, including the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which was the first to feature a 2.5x magnifying lens and a larger sensor in the primary camera.

Periscope modules are significantly larger than a regular tele lens, and the iPhone Pro's small screen isn't all that big - current expectations are that it will stick with a 6.1" display. There is currently no Android phone in this size range (not many) with a periscope, makers tend to save them for their top and biggest phones.

Apple will most likely be able to implement it, according to Kuo, who predicts that the company will use a periscope on both iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024. The firm has been developing a strange design with two prisms, as seen in patent filings.

The iPhone 14 series, which is set to arrive later this year, will be the final update for the current model. The Pro variations - and just the Pro models - are anticipated to get an upgrade to a 48MP main camera, while the regular models will stay at 12 MP. The front-facing camera is also scheduled for improvement (autofocus).