iPhone 15 Pro again rumored to feature a periscope lens with 5x zoom

While most rumors are geared toward the 2022 iPhone, some of them are already predicting what to expect for the 2023 iPhone. In a report seen by 9to5Mac, analyst Jeff Pu claims that the iPhone 15 Pro models will feature a periscope lens with a 5x optical zoom.

According to the analyst, Apple is in negotiations with Lante Optics, which is expected to be the main supplier of the periscope lenses to be used in the 2023 iPhones. The report claims that the Cupertino-based company has already received component samples and a final decision should be made by May.

If the components are approved, Apple will include the periscope lens in the high-end models of the 2023 iPhone lineup, which we assume will be called iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Jeff Pu says that if both companies close a deal, Lante Optics is likely to supply more than 100 million components to Apple, which will make a huge positive impact on the company’s revenues.

This is not the first time Apple has been rumored to include a periscope lens on the iPhone 15. An earlier report by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also mentioned that the company was working to include a periscope lens on the “2H23 iPhone” for better optical zoom.

For those unfamiliar with the technology, periscope lenses rely on a prism that reflects light to multiple internal lenses at 90 degrees to the camera sensor. This allows the length of the lens to be much longer than a telephoto lens, which results in a much better optical zoom. Samsung and Huawei already offer such technology in their smartphones, which enables optical zoom of up to 10x and combined zoom of up to 100x.

While the announcement of the iPhone 15 Pro is still a long way off, rumors suggest that this year’s iPhone 14 will have upgraded cameras with a 48-megapixel wide lens capable of shooting 8K video. The next-generation iPhone will likely be announced this fall.