Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 Pro, slated for a 2024 launch, is speculated to come equipped with a periscope lens. This advancement is made possible due to increased manufacturing yields by lens assembly supplier Largan.
What Happened: Analyst Ming-chi Kuo predicted that Apple Inc. AAPL will no longer limit the periscope lens to just the top-tier iPhone 16 Pro Max model.
Kuo, who first mooted this possibility back in March, remains steadfast in his prediction. He suggests that Apple is preparing to include the periscope lens in the smaller Pro model, beginning with the iPhone 16 Pro. This possibility is underpinned by Largan’s reported increase in lens assembly yields, hitting the 70% mark, thereby making the tetraprism lens assembly cost-effective.
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The robust demand for the iPhone 15 Pro Max has resulted in a surge in orders for lens assembly, contributing to profitability as development costs are amortized over a larger number of units. Largan, the sole supplier of the tetraprism (periscope) camera lens for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, is projected to support a whopping 160% YoY growth in iPhones equipped with this camera in 2024.
Despite Kuo’s forecasts being a blend of data-driven insights and conjecture—solid data back his yield rate reports, the addition of the lens in the iPhone 16 Pro model is mostly speculative.
Why It Matters: The inclusion of a periscope lens in the iPhone 16 Pro is significant as it signifies a shift in Apple’s strategy. Traditionally, the company has reserved its top-tier camera hardware for the Pro Max models.
This move could democratize access to high-end photography features, making them available to a broader range of consumers.
Furthermore, the increased manufacturing yields by Largan can potentially make the lens assembly more profitable, driving growth in the camera lens market. However, it remains to be seen if this forecast will materialize.
Photo by Saim Amjid on Shutterstock
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