Quick Summary
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro is reported to be coming with a periscope lens this year, offering 5x optical zoom.
The report comes from DigitTimes (picked up by 91Mobiles) and talks about the main suppliers for the camera modules.
It used to be that the summer months were the quietest when it came to tech product launches, but that's no longer the case. Both Samsung and Google have confirmed events over the next couple of months, prior to consumer electronics show IFA and Apple's September event.
It means that while we await the official announcements – coming from Samsung first at Unpacked on 10 July – we are also gifted to a swell of rumours. The latest of which refers to Apple's iPhone 16 Pro, which is expected to be revealed at the end of summer, likely sometime in the beginning of September.
A report from DigiTimes (via 91Mobiles) has suggested the Apple iPhone 16 Pro will come with a periscope lens offering 5x optical zoom. You may have heard those specifications before and no, you aren't going mad. That's what the iPhone 15 Pro Max offered when it was announced in 2023.
The iPhone 15 Pro didn't offer the periscope lens of the 15 Pro Max however, with optical zoom limited to 3x rather than the 5x optical and 25x digital capabilities of the larger model. The report suggests bigger won't necessarily be better for 2024 however, with the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max offering the same camera capabilities.
iPhone 16 Pro screen size boost
In order to accommodate the larger camera module, there have also been reports to suggest the iPhone 16 Pro could see a slightly larger display at 6.3-inches compared to the iPhone 15 Pro's current 6.1-inches.
Other rumours talk about a capture button for taking pictures and videos, which if true, will be interesting to see how Apple implements. A capture button is something Sony phones have offered for years and technically the iPhone 15 Pro models already offer a capture button to some extent, if you program the Action Button for the camera, but that's not to say there isn't something else in the works.
When it comes to processor, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro is said to be running on the A18 Bionic, which will of course support iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence features. Nothing is confirmed as yet of course, and with a couple of months before the iPhone 16 series is expected to be announced, all these rumours can change.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Britta is a freelance technology journalist who has been writing about tech for over a decade. She's covered all consumer tech from phones, tablets and wearables to smart home and beauty tech, with everything in between. She has a fashion journalism degree from London College of Fashion and previously did a long stint as deputy editor of Pocket-lint, but you’ll now find her byline on several titles including GQ, the Express, the Mirror, TechRadar, Stuff and iMore. You'll never find her without her Apple Watch on, aiming to complete her rings so she can justify the extra bar of chocolate and she loves a good iPhone trick.
-
When is Black Friday 2024 – this Friday or next? Here's the official answer
Black Friday is on 29 November in 2024 – a week later than the year previous. But that's not stopped retailers putting on their sales...
By Mike Lowe Published
-
Forget Black Friday, F1 24 is completely free for a limited time
This top racing game has a free weekend
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
iPhone 17 Slim tipped to be the thinnest iPhone Apple’s ever made
Could make the iPhone 16 look massive
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
An Apple flatscreen TV could be back on the cards again
It might take a while though...
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Apple AirTag 2 upgrade will bring better range, improved privacy, and a stalker-proof speaker, says insider
Apple's useful little thing-finders are reportedly getting a big refresh in 2025
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Google pulls a masterstroke by getting Gemini onto UK iPhones before Apple Intelligence
The standalone app is available now
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
iOS 18.2 release date leaked – the day when Apple Intelligence comes to the UK
Though nothing is official just yet
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Apple TV's next big update adds a hugely useful new feature
We love a bit of customisation
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Apple Vision Pro 2 still on the cards, could come as soon as next year
The Vision Pro story is set to continue
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Future Apple Watch models could ditch the battery and get power from a surprising source
The future of wearable batteries could be no battery at all
By Carrie Marshall Published