But extra proof has emerged suggesting that Apple plans to change this yr from a diagonal to a vertical configuration for the rear-facing cameras on its non-Professional iPhones.
Apple has modified this association on a number of events prior to now. The corporate began with two digital camera lenses in a horizontal configuration on the iPhone 7 Plus and eight Plus, earlier than switching to a vertical structure on the iPhone X in 2017. Apple caught with a vertical structure till the iPhone the iPhone 13 in 2021, however used a bigger digital camera array to match the Professional fashions. In 2024, Apple is predicted to return to a smaller vertical array just like the one used on the iPhone X.
The reasoning behind these adjustments has all the time been considerably obscure, with some pundits believing the diagonal structure allowed for bigger sensors to be accommodated, whereas others suppose Apple simply likes new telephones to look totally different from earlier generations for advertising and marketing functions. However this yr’s change has a extra apparent rationale: vertical lenses will allow the iPhone 16 to take spatial movies for Imaginative and prescient Professional just like the iPhone 15 Professional. (This is identical purpose why Apple swapped the telephoto and ultra-wide lenses on the iPhone 15 Professional final yr: in order that the principle and ultra-wide lenses would sit aspect by aspect when the telephone was held in panorama orientation.)
The change again to vertical has been rumored for a while. We first reported on this again in March 2023, lengthy earlier than the iPhone 15 got here out; on the time the prediction was primarily based on only one supply, albeit one with a strong observe file, so was considered unsure. However a leak of alleged ‘prototypes’ in December made the concept appear significantly extra credible.
And there have been newer developments. On Sunday, the X/Twitter consumer Majin Bu posted leaked “schematics” of the iPhone 16, including but extra credence to the prediction of vertical digital camera lenses. On the very least, this seems to point that Apple has been exploring this as one potential design.
The Apple information website MacRumors has since corroborated the schematics, saying that their very own sources “align with” the shared pictures. And Majin Bu has in flip up to date the prediction to say that the designs within the schematics “are virtually 100% an identical to the prototypes which can be presently being examined by Apple” and that these “will probably be the ultimate design.”
Aside from probably bringing assist for spatial video–which, maybe surprisingly, Majin Bu says will solely “most likely” be added–the modified digital camera structure received’t make a lot distinction to most customers. However it might be a visual distinction from the iPhone 15, which new iPhone consumers have a tendency to understand. However there’s nonetheless a good distance till the iPhone 16 arrives, so be sure you keep updated with all the most recent information and rumors in our frequently up to date iPhone 16 superguide.