For months, we’ve been hearing rumors about the camera improvements on the iPhone 15. From periscope lenses on the Pro Max models to overall enhancements across the lineup. However, none of them may be as significant as the one revealed by today’s rumors, as a small change could make the iPhone 15 camera much better than we expected.
Twitter user RGcloudS, known for focusing on Android rumors, has provided us with this information. It’s important to approach these details with some skepticism, but when it comes to hardware-related leaks, the sources are often similar. These leaks suggest that a new camera material could potentially bring a significant evolution to the cameras of the upcoming iPhone 15.
A hybrid between glass and plastic: more openness and much more light
The main innovation that this new generation of iPhone would bring is its hybrid lens, consisting of one glass element and six plastic elements. While the concept of a hybrid lens is not entirely new and has already been implemented by brands like Xiaomi, it’s worth noting that these devices are only available in China. This makes the iPhone 15 potentially the first global smartphone to feature a hybrid lens design.
Currently, the iPhone 14 features a camera with seven plastic lenses. By introducing a glass element, Apple could significantly improve image quality, reduce chromatic aberrations, and enhance sharpness. But that’s not all.
In addition to the change in lens material, the iPhone 15’s main camera is expected to have an ƒ/1.7 aperture, an improvement over the ƒ/1.79 aperture in the iPhone 14 Pro models. This larger aperture will allow the camera to capture up to 20% more light, resulting in superior performance in low-light conditions, faster shutter speeds, and better depth of field, allowing for more pronounced subject focus with a blurred background.
While the devices are expected to use the same 48-megapixel Sony IMX sensor seen in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the combination of a larger aperture and the new hybrid lens will significantly enhance the capabilities of this sensor. The result should be higher-quality images in both high and low-light situations.
It’s worth noting that the 48 MP sensor usually translates to 12 MP photos by combining pixels into groups of four. This technique is used to capture more light with each shot and may now become less necessary, or at least only required in conditions with really low ambient lighting.
But Apple’s camera improvements don’t stop there. Rumors suggest that for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, Cupertino’s company plans to further enhance the camera with more components. There’s talk of an eight-part hybrid lens design, with two glass elements and six plastic ones. These changes would extend beyond the main lens, as there are rumors of incorporating five and six-element hybrid lenses in the telephoto and ultra-wide-angle cameras.
As we mentioned earlier, the main source of these claims primarily focuses on leaks related to Android devices, and their track record regarding Apple rumors is uncertain but not necessarily untrue. While we await further rumors to either support or debunk these assertions, these potential advancements showcase Apple’s constant interest in innovating and improving our device cameras. In a time when these cameras are our primary means of capturing our surroundings, it’s evident that the iPhone 15 will stand out among the rest.
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