Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Likely To Come With 'Super' Telephoto Camera In 2024: Know More

The US-based tech giant Apple is reportedly planning to launch the iPhone 16 Pro Max in 2024 with a super telephoto periscope camera for dramatically increased optical zoom.

According to a report from Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the label of “super” or “ultra” telephoto is usually afforded to cameras with a focal length over 300mm, drastically magnifying and pulling in distant subjects. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro models’ telephoto camera has a focal length of equivalent to 77mm, so a focal length in excess of 300mm on the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro Max would be a very large increase.

Super telephoto cameras are great for sports and wildlife photography. They also create beautifully blurred backgrounds, making them useful for portraits if there’s enough distance between the subject and the photographer, MacRumors said.

As per MacRumors, the change is seemingly facilitated by Apple’s upgrade to a periscope telephoto camera system, starting with the iPhone 15 Pro Max later this year. With next year’s ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro models, the iPhone makets is reportedly planning to bring the telephoto camera to both of the “Pro” models, apparently enabled by increasing the smaller model’s size.

As such, giving the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro Max a super telephoto periscope would enable Apple to maintain differentiation between the two “Pro” devices next year.

The Weibo user reiterated that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a 12% larger camera sensor, measuring 1/1.14 inches. Currently, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max feature a 1/1.28-inch sensor, and no size increase is anticipated for this year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max.

A larger sensor can enhance the main iPhone camera’s dynamic range, background blur, and low-light photography capabilities. With more surface area, it can capture more light using the same shutter speed and aperture, the report said.

According to reports, the iPhone 16 models could feature the first Apple-designed modem chip, plus there could be updated Face ID technology, a possible portless design, a high-end “Ultra” model, and more.