Kuo: Periscope lens will be exclusive to the highest-end iPhone 16 model

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects that the periscope lens, set to be introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro Max/Ultra model later this year, will continue to be exclusive to the highest-end iPhone 16 in 2024. According to the analyst, “the market” expected that Apple would expand the periscope lenses to more iPhone models besides the Pro Max/Ultra phones, but Kuo’s latest survey indicates otherwise.

Kuo writes:

Only one/the highest-end model of the new 2H24 iphone 16 series may have a periscope camera, not the two models of market expectation. It’s detrimental to Largan and Genius since the demand for lens upgrades will fall below expectation.

The analyst reinforces that only the highest-end model of the 2H23 new iPhone 15 model, which could be called 15 Pro Max or Ultra, will adopt the periscope camera. “The market expected that adding periscope cameras to more iPhone models would drive demand for lens upgrades in 2023-2024, but my latest survey indicates only one/highest-end new iPhone 16 model in WH24 will have the periscope camera, not the two models the market expected.”

Although plans can change until next year, it’s interesting that Apple will again differentiate the Pro from the Pro Max versions.

In addition, the iPhone 16 series is expected to add an under-display Face ID, as the Dynamic Island would shrink to a whole-punch cutout instead of the pill shape cutout we currently have.

According to the Korean version of The Elec, “in the iPhone 16 Pro lineup, when the display screen is turned on, the hole for the under panel Face ID is not visible, and only the lens hole for the front camera is visible, increasing the sense of immersion.”

Apple is expected to adopt an underpanel camera (UPC) sequentially after applying under panel Face ID to the front of the iPhone. UPC also has a front camera module mounted under the display, and when the camera function is not in use, the camera lens hole is not visible and the display function is supported. The application principle of underpanel Face ID and UPC is the same.

For the iPhone 15 series, all models are expected to feature the same design as the Dynamic Island, although only the high-end models will have ProMotion and Always-On Display.