Apple is expected to upgrade the iPhone’s camera system with a fancy new periscope lens, according to a new report. However, this update will be exclusive to the company’s flagship device of 2023, the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The news comes from reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo had previously claimed that the technology would be available on all the Pro models, with the recent clarification limiting it to the ‘Max’ model.
Android phones have been leveraging the capabilities of the periscope camera for some time now. The Huawei P30 Pro was the first device to introduce the tech in 2019. If you are unaware, a periscope lens offers better zoom capabilities than a typical telephoto lens. Thus multiple phone manufacturers have started opting for this tech. Apple is one such manufacturer that plans to improve its zoom capabilities by utilizing this tech. You’ll see it more on Android phones than iPhones though. The current-gen iPhone 13 Pro models are capable of 3x optical zoom and 15x digital zoom. On the other hand, backed by periscope lenses, Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra offers 10x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom while Vivo’s X80 Pro has 5x optical zoom and 60x digital zoom.
According to Kuo, the 1/3-inch sensor on the iPhone 15 Pro Max will have a 12-megapixel resolution, F/2.8 aperture, and 6x optical zoom. While the iPhone 15 Pro will continue to use the telephoto lens for optical zoom. Kuo adds that iPhone 16 Pro will get a periscope lens. Thus you will have to wait until 2024 to get a smaller iPhone with the camera tech.
As for why the smaller phone has to wait, it’s probably a matter of space. Telephoto lenses are typically used in large phones. The S22 Ultra and Vivo X80? Both are iPhone Pro Max-sized. It would not be the first time Apple’s largest iPhones got better cameras due to simply having more space in which to stash these components. The iPhone 7 and 8 Plus were the only iPhones to sport dual cameras in their day, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max had a larger main camera and a better zoom camera than the equivalent 12 Pro. It’s capitalism, yes, but it’s also physics.
As for what’s coming with the iPhone 14, Apple is expected to improve the ultra-wide and telephoto lens on the 14 Pro models. As per Kuo, the phones will ship with a 48-megapixel ultra-wide lens instead of a 12-megapixel camera. Plus, the telephoto camera will get an upgraded seven-element lens.
Are you tired of paying for streaming services you never watch just to get a phone plan feature you actually want? T-Mobile has good news for you! The carrier is rolling out new plans, called T-Mix, in early November to replace its old Experience lineup with a build-your-own perks system called Picks.
The benefits you choose vary from streaming and gaming to food delivery, AI, satellite service, and phone discounts. But if you are satisfied with your existing plan, you can keep it.
Merely days after the iPhone Duo hit the shelves, images of broken screens on the phone started popping up across social media. Until now, it’s been unclear what’s causing the line of defective pixels that appears vertically along the crease, as well as horizontally, on the phone’s inner display.
Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, which has shown up on iPhone Duo units owned by customers as well as demo units in stores. In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Apple says that not all iPhone Duo units are affected and that those that are tend to show the display fault early on. The company added that users who experience problems with their iPhone Duo display should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.
I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.