According to analyst Jeff Pu, at least one iPhone 15 model released in 2023 will include a periscope camera system with increased optical zoom.
Light entering the telephoto lens on the back of the iPhone would be reflected by an angled mirror towards the camera’s image sensor using a periscope system. The shift in light direction would allow Apple to fit a longer telephoto setup inside the iPhone, allowing users to zoom in further without blur.
Rumors of an iPhone with a periscope lens have been circulating since early 2020, with reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo being the first to bring it up. Kuo initially stated that a periscope lens would be included in the iPhone 14 Pro, but it now appears that we will have to wait until the iPhone 15 Pro next year.
Android smartphones with periscope lenses are already available, including Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra and Huawei’s P40 Pro+. Both of those devices offer up to 10x optical zoom, and the iPhone 15 Pro could follow suit with the addition of a periscope lens. Meanwhile, iPhone 13 Pro models can only achieve 3x optical zoom.
