iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are rumored to feature a Tetraprism telephoto lens

Apple is expected to bridge the gap between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max with the upcoming models.

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max could be equipped with a tetraprism telephoto lens next year, according to a report. Earlier this year, Apple launched the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but only the latter was equipped with the company’s improved telephoto lens that offers up to 5x optical zoom — higher than the 3x optical zoom support on the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The purported increase in size of the iPhone 16 Pro models could allow for a better telephoto camera in the smaller model.

A MacRumors report citing unnamed sources states that Apple plans to equip both the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max with its new tetraprism telephoto lens in 2024. By using a compact glass structure using a prism, Apple’s top-of-the-line iPhone model can reflect light four times and allow for better optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

However, the inclusion of this camera technology was said to be a challenge for Apple due to space constraints, which is why only the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max arrived with the tetraprism telephoto camera this year. If recent reports are to be believed, Apple is planning to increase the display sizes of the both the iPhone 16 Pro to 6.3 inches and the iPhone 16 Pro Max to 6.9 inches, up from 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively.

The report suggests that the camera design and tetraprism module for the iPhone 16 Pro model closely resemble those found on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The extent to which Apple plans to use the same camera setup on both iPhone 16 Pro models, as seen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, remains unclear.

This marks the third instance of such a claim. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at TF Securities, had previously mentioned in September and reiterated in November that the iPhone 16 Pro would feature the enhanced camera technology. Kuo had previously anticipated that the iPhone 15 Pro model would not be equipped with the same telephoto lens as the iPhone 15 Pro Max.