Camera improvements coming on iPhone 16 and 17 series, Says Kuo،
The latest update coming from TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo features major improvements to Apple's next-generation iPhone 16 and 17 series. From Genius, Apple's main lens supplier, talking about the ultra-wide camera of the iPhone 16 series and the front camera of the iPhone 17 series. Here's the tee!
First of all, Apple is likely to upgrade the front camera from 12MP with 5P lens (on iPhone 15 series) to 24M with 7P lens. This will significantly improve the image quality on the front cameras. For Genius, this means increased production and shipping costs for the 7P lens, about $100-$120 more than what the 5P lens would cost.
While the iPhone 16 Pro series gets a larger 0.2-inch display, the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 will get some additional benefits. The 16 Pro Max's tetraprism periscope zoom lens is expected to remain unchanged from the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It should also appear on the iPhone 16 Pro. These periscope lenses will be shipped by Largan, Apple's main supplier, while Genius will be added to the list of suppliers. It is estimated that the lens will ship by the end of 2Q24 or the beginning of 3Q24 if everything goes according to plan/
It's not just the front camera, but the iPhone 16 Pro series will see an improved ultra-wide sensor. For now we are using a 12 MP ultra-wide camera with a pixel size of 1.0 micron and a sensor size of 1/3.6″. This will increase to 48MP 0.7 micron and a size of 1/2.6″ pixel. This should improve the image quality of the iPhone 16 series (and the iPhone 17 series as well) without increasing the cost too much since it is still based on a 6P lens configuration.
Genius is also behind the pancake lens shipped for Apple Vision Pro which will arrive in a few days. It is an exclusive supplier of flat and thin lenses. All this will significantly improve Genius' revenue, reaching NT$3 billion by 2H25 with the 24MP 7P front camera.
The Apple iPhone 16 series is expected to be released in September, followed by the iPhone 17 series in September 2025. We still have almost 10 months to reach the edge of rumors and find out what is concrete and what is not.
