iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max to Be Equipped With Tetraprism Telephoto Lens: Report

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.

Citing internal documentation, the report also states that the tetraprism module and camera design for the iPhone 16 Pro model appears similar to the one on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It is currently unclear whether the company plans to use the same camera setup on both iPhone 16 Pro models as the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

This is the third time that such a claim has been made. TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated in September — and again in November — that the iPhone 16 Pro will also feature the improved camera technology. Kuo previously predicted that Apple would not equip the iPhone 15 Pro model with the same telephoto lens as the iPhone 15 Pro Max.