iPhone 17 Pro Max Rumored to Feature 48MP Telephoto Lens

[MacRumors]

The iPhone 17 Pro Max will likely feature a 48-megapixel Telephoto lens, according to Jeff Pu, an analyst who covers companies within Apple's supply chain.

In a research note this week with Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities, focused on Apple supplier Largan Precision, Pu said the iPhone 17 Pro Max's upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto lens will be optimized for use with Apple's upcoming Vision Pro headset, set to be released in the U.S. in early 2024. Pu did not provide any additional details about the lens, or how it will interface with the Vision Pro.

iPhone 15 Pro models have 48-megapixel main, 12-megapixel ultra wide, and 12-megapixel telephoto lenses. Starting with iOS 17.2, these devices can record spatial video with 3D depth for playback on the Vision Pro. When held in landscape orientation, the main and ultra wide lenses combine to record spatial video with added depth.

Earlier this year, Pu said iPhone 16 Pro models would feature a 48-megapixel ultra wide lens, so the iPhone 17 Pro Max might be the first iPhone model to have a rear camera system entirely with 48-megapixel lenses. Higher megapixels allows for photos to have more detail, which can be useful for cropping and printing.

iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to launch in September 2025, so they are still nearly two years away, and Apple's plans might not be finalized.

Article Link: iPhone 17 Pro Max Rumored to Feature 48MP Telephoto Lens

 

[dannyyankou]

Wow, that's going to lead to some pretty sharp digital zoom

 

[sw1tcher]

Getting a bit ahead of ourselves here. We don't even have the iPhone 16 yet and they're already attempting to predict what features will be on the iPhone 17? 🤣

 

[kc9hzn]

iPhone 17 Pro Max? The iPhone 16 Pro Max hasn’t yet made it to mass manufacture (and won’t for a few months) and may still have some component changes. So talking about iPhone 17 Pro Max components this early is definitely counting chickens before they hatch.

 

[jz0309]

Ok, so skip the iPhone 16…

 

[MacDevil7334]

If this also means the physical size of the telephoto sensor will be getting larger, this is great news! Going to 48 MP on the current sensor size would be rough. The telephoto lens already struggles in even moderate light.

 

[redbeard331]

What’s more important is the focal length, but more mp’s are welcome. 300+mm plus 48 megapixels should result in some impressive abilities.

 

[EmotionalSnow]

This should allow for some nice crop zoom like on the main sensor.

 

[iamgalt]

Oh, great. The iPhone 16 Pro Max that I ordered in 10 months is already out of date.

 

[StuBeck]

I'm assuming these reports come out about phones this far out to avoid people remembering their educated guesses, but also if they happen to be right, they can cite how early they got it correct.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Hasn't 48MP been rumored for about 3 generations now? Oh, the "telephoto" part is the new bit???

But it should bring 8K video resolution too, which should lead to 8K AppleTVs, which might get some native 8K video content onto 8K televisions.

And my guess is that the layout will shift a bit to spread the lenses for spatial video a bit more (average eye width) to enhance the effect more than the current phone cameras can do it.

And with multiple 48MP lenses, does that evolve spatial video from 1080p to 4K for Vpro? I'm guessing it can... but will it... or is that reserved for iPhone 18 Pro Max... because, you know, it's AAPL?

 

[Makayla]

iPhone 17 rumors now?

Your 3 mon old 15 is so darn ancient lol

 

[robvalentine]

Catching up to my Pixel 8 pro lol

 

[AF_APPLETALK]

More interested in the iPhone 18 at this point

 

[now i see it]

This is how the electronics industry works. Example:

Researchers develop a 100 watt lightbulb. Great!
Company they work for instead releases a 10 watt bulb the following year.
The next year they release a 20 watt lightbulb.
The next year they release a 30 watt lightbulb.
Etc.

 

[macduke]

And I heard the iPhone 18 Ultra Max will unfold into an iPad mini Pro 2…

 

[kalafalas]

And that would also mean native 12mp center crops for 10x zoom, which would be very impressive indeed

 

[coffeemilktea]

Taking pictures of stray cats on my fence is going to look so good on that super high definition telephoto now. 🤳🐈

 

[vegetassj4]

We've been on megapixels for decades? Nokia had a 41 megapixel phone in 2012. Apple is so behind the times.

I will wait on the rumored iPhone 20 with a 1 Gigapixel lens.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Good news, but we need to be upping the size of sensors more than anything.

 

[OneBar]

Lenses aren't measured in MP. They're measured in mm. Sensors are measured in MP. The telephoto lens is going to be whatever mm and whatever f/ stop and the sensor is going to be 48 MP or whatever. How about we improve the f/ stop instead of getting more MP? That's the real deal.

 

[iPadified]

I wish journalist would stop using the phrase “…48 MPixel lens”. It is wrong on so many levels. A digital photosensor has pixels, a lens does not.

 

[Lakersfan74]

17 is shaping up to be good upgrades if everything pans out.

48 megapixel telephoto lens
Wi-Fi 7 by Apple
2nm chip

I’m waiting for this one

 

[rufwork]

Can we not put megapixels on “lenses”?

Megapixels measure sensors.

Zoom lenses are measured in mm.

This is the way.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Why is Apple chasing megapixels? It makes no sense in 2023. 48 megapixels is drastic overkill in a sensor that small. That much resolution barely makes sense in mirrorless and full frame sensors where ~25-35 is more than enough. Packing that many sensor sites into a tiny chip leads to reduced sharpness and increased issues like chromatic aberration. And more notably it creates ENORMOUS files that most casual photographers won’t have the storage space to deal with if they shoot a lot.

Same goes for the length of the telephoto. Why?? iPhone doesn’t need a long tele. 75mm+ lens makes no sense on a phone. Phones are too small to support reasonably good optics for telephoto lenses. They’re too small to pack all the required glass in.

The bottom line here is that “48 megapixel telephoto lens” is PURE marketing nonsense intended to give Apple specs to crow about and nothing more. These “features” offer no significant additional functionality to users and actually represent a potential detriment to many.