iPhone 13 will feature the same wide-angle camera lens as iPhone 12 (report)

News
By Darragh Murphy
published

Analyst suggests iPhone 13 models will see ultra-wide lens improvements instead

iPhone 12 Pro Max rear camera array
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

While the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are expected to get a camera redesign, we're now hearing reports claiming Apple's next smartphone won't see any improvements made to its main camera.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states the iPhone 13 lineup will feature the same wide-angle lens with a ƒ/1.6 aperture as the iPhone 12 models. However, we may see some improvements to the upcoming flagship smartphone's ultra-wide lens instead. 

According to Kuo's investors' note (via MacRumors), the ‌iPhone 13‌ mini, ‌standard iPhone 13‌, and ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro will feature the same 7MP wide-angle lens as their ‌iPhone 12‌ counterparts. However, the iPhone 13 Pro Max will have an ƒ/1.5 aperture wide-angle lens — a slight improvement from the iPhone 12 Pro Max's ƒ/1.6 aperture.

While this particular lens will largely stay the same, the supplier will not. The report also states that Chinese company Sunny Optical will be the new supplier of the 7P wide-angle lens, and that mass production will start as soon as May this year. This certainly lines up with the iPhone 13's scheduled release.

As for the iPhone 13's ultra-wide lens, Kuo and Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Thomas O'Malley claim that all iPhone 13 models will have a wider ƒ/1.8 aperture, compared to ƒ/2.4 on the iPhone 12. These wider apertures mean the iPhone 13 could see great improvements to its low-light performance.

While Kuo is a trusted Apple analyst with a great track record, rumors still need to be taken with a pinch of salt. A recent leak described camera hardware tweaks and software upgrades coming to the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, but Apple could end up changing these plans prior to the iPhone 13's launch. 

Darragh Murphy
Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.