Already a popular feature in some flagship Android phones, a periscope lens is rumored to be introduced in at least one iPhone 15 Pro model.
Reputable tipster and Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu has said that it isn’t clear whether both iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will get the much-rumored periscope lens. Pu had earlier revealed that the iPhone 15 Pro models will feature a periscope camera system, allowing for increased optical zoom. The feature was originally tipped a couple of years ago by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who claimed that Apple would incorporate the periscope lens technology in the iPhone 14 Pro. However, more recent leaks now suggest that buyers will have to wait until next year for it.
Although the iPhone 15 lineup is expected to be announced in 2023, Apple is currently prepping to reveal the iPhone 14-series later this year with a number of new features and design elements. The most notable among them will be the dual-cutout display in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, while the base iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max are expected to retain the older notched design. Latest rumors also suggest that all four iPhone 14 models will offer 6GB of RAM. Again, however, only the two ‘Pro’ models will be upgraded to LPDDR5, while the base models will come with LPDDR4X memory.
According to Pu’s research note, seen by 9to5Mac, at least one of the iPhone 15 Pro models will come with Apple’s long-rumored periscope lens. Even though Apple could offer the new hardware in both the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max to maintain feature parity between the two Pro models, it could also reserve the feature for the Pro Max to justify the higher price-tag. The company did something similar in 2020 when it introduced Sensor-Shift stabilization in the iPhone 12 Pro Max before incorporating it in all the iPhone 13 models last year.
IPhone 15 Might Have Another Notable Change
There’s no more new information on the iPhone 15 lineup for now, but recent developments in Europe and the U.S. suggest that it could come with another new feature that has long been demanded by customers worldwide. The iPhone 15 lineup is expected to ship with a USB-C port instead of Lightning following new regulations by the European Union. According to the EU, all mobile devices sold in the EU must have a USB-C port “by autumn 2024,” suggesting that an iPhone without the mandated port will not be allowed to be sold in the region.
Following the EU’s lead, some U.S. senators have also written to the Department of Commerce, asking for a comprehensive policy to mandate a common charging standard for mobile devices in the country. The lawmakers on both sides of the Atlantic are of the opinion that a common port for all mobile devices will not only help consumers save money in redundant charger purchases, it will also make life easier for them as they will no longer have to carry around different chargers for different devices. What’s more, this iPhone change will also be good for the environment by helping to significantly reduce e-waste.
