What you need to know
- Ming-Chi Kuo says that an upgrade is coming to the iPhone 13 Pro Max's wide-angle camera.
- A new supply chain note says it will shift to a ƒ1.5 aperture, but that the remaining iPhone 13 models will keep the ƒ1.6 wide-angle lens from the iPhone 12.
A new report says Apple's iPhone 13 Pro Max will come with an upgraded wide-angle lens, but that this is the only model getting the upgrade.
In a research note seen by iMore, Kuo notes that supplier Sunny Optical is "expected to pass the 7P wide-angle lens quality verification" for the iPhone 13, obtaining orders and shipping components in the second quarter of 2021. In stating this, Kuo notes the respective apertures of the iPhone 13's wide-angle cameras, noting an upgrade to the iPhone 13 Pro Max. He says the iPhone 13 mini, 13, and 13 Pro all "share the same ƒ1.6 wide-angle lens", but stating that the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a ƒ1.5 aperture lens.
Currently, Apple's iPhone 12 Pro, one of the best iPhones available, comes with an aperture of ƒ1.6 across the board, from Apple's spec sheet:
Ultra-Wide: ƒ/2.4 aperture and 120° field of view Wide: ƒ/1.6 aperture Telephoto: ƒ/2.0 aperture (iPhone 12 Pro); ƒ/2.2 aperture (iPhone 12 Pro Max)
If Kuo's latest note is correct (and they usually are), we can expect the wide camera on the iPhone 13 Pro Max to get slightly better. This would indicate Apple's trend of differentiating its Pro Max model from the Pro by more than just size is set to continue, as you can see above, the iPhone 12 Pro Max already delivers improvements in the telephoto lens compared to the 12 Pro.
As per every other report out there, Kuo reiterated the iPhone 13 is expected to launch in the second half of this year. Previous iPhone 13 camera reports have claimed the lens from the iPhone 12 Pro Max is coming to the entire iPhone 13 lineup, and in a previous note Kuo has stated the iPhone 13's Ultra-wide camera is also getting an upgrade.
