The iPhone could offer a tenfold optical zoom or more with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, thanks to the implementation of a periscope lens. This would allow for a better zoom than the current triple magnification level found in Apple’s iPhones. However, a better zoom lens would take up a lot of space vertically, which could pose a problem for the usually flat smartphones. This is where a periscope lens comes in, as it deflects the light from the vertical to the horizontal, providing more space without increasing the device’s thickness.
Largan Precision, a Taiwan-based company, is reportedly manufacturing the periscope lens for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, while the competitor, Genius Electronic Optical, is to make lenses for the iPhone 16. However, the lens manufacturers are experiencing a drop of 35 to 40 percent in orders, which could give Apple some negotiating power.
The periscope lens only costs around $4 per lens, thanks to tough negotiations. This also means that lens manufacturers are not making much of a profit, which raises the question of whether or not consumers can hope for the iPhone prices to remain high in the fall. Rumors have circulated that Apple wants to raise prices, but it remains to be seen if this will happen.
