The iPhone 15 lineup could include the best camera phones ever made
Upgrades to every model
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Of all the upgrades rumored for theiPhone 15line – USB-C, an Action Button on some models, a Dynamic Island for all – it could be the cameras that are the biggest, according to a new report.
This is according toTrendForce(viaMacRumors), which claims that the iPhone 15 camera upgrades will be the “star of the show” at theApple September eventand “a pivotal factor that could tip the scales for potential buyers”.
So what’s so special about these camera upgrades? Well, for one thing the report corroborates claims that the iPhone 15 andiPhone 15 Pluswill feature a newSonysensor. Apparently, this sensor will extend the dynamic range of images, which could allow for more strikingHDR(high dynamic range) imagery.
The report doesn’t mention how many megapixels this sensor will have, but we’ve previously heard thatthe iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will have a 48MP main camera, up from just 12MP on theiPhone 14.
TrendForce describes this new sensor as “cutting-edge”, so it sounds like you can expect big things from it.
Zoom further
The report also echoes claims that theiPhone 15 Pro Maxwill have a periscope lens, allowing for longer-range zoom than theiPhone 14 Pro Max. How much longer isn’t mentioned here, but we’ve variously heard 5x-6x and even 10x optical zoom mentioned by different sources. For reference, the iPhone 14 Pro Max offers 3x optical zoom, so any of those would be a big change.
There could be other upgrades too, with one early leak mentioninga massive new sensor for the main camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, though this isn’t something we’ve heard more recently.
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Regardless, it sounds increasingly like the cameras on all three of these iPhone models could be major highlights, with theiPhone 15 Properhaps being the odd one out, as this isn’t expected to get the periscope upgrade of the Pro Max, though it may still see sensor improvements.
You can see what we think is the most likely camera setup for each phone, based on the leaks and rumors we’ve seen thus far, in the table below.
The most-needed upgrade
If the cameras are as good as TrendForce suggests then that could be a big win forApple, because as great as its phones are, the cameras are rarely a match for those on the verybest Android phones.
Right now, for example, theSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra,Pixel 7 Pro, andPixel 6aall rank ahead of any iPhone on ourbest camera phoneslist. The Pixel 6a is there in part because of its price and value, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro simply take better photos.
Apple typically wins for video, but the photography experience on iPhones is in need of an upgrade, and hopefully it’ll get one with the iPhone 15 line. We’ll find out on September 12, as that’s when the iPhone 15 series will be unveiled. So check out our guide coveringhow to watch the Apple event online, and head back to TechRadar then for all the news and analysis.
More iPhone 15 stories
James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.
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