Apple has allegedly decided on its supplier for periscope telephoto lenses
We all know Apple likes to take things slow when implementing new features to its phones. One of the best examples of that statement is the screens iPhones have these days, which feature OLED technology and can go up to a 120Hz refresh rate.
But today’s news does not have anything to do with the iPhone’s display rather, it is about the iPhone’s camera system. For a few years now, Apple has been criticized for not including a more capable telephoto camera in its premium-priced phones. More precisely, a telephoto camera that is capable of more zoom than simply 3x, as it is on the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.
Well, the good news is that Apple has allegedly finally found a supplier for periscope telephoto lens parts. The report comes from The Elec, which says the firm that was supposedly chosen by the Cupertino-based company is Jahwa Electronics, which based in South Korea.
Jahwa is a manufacturer of optical image stabilization (OIS) actuators. Right now, it is also where Samsung is getting the OIS components for its flagship Galaxy S22 series. However, Apple was reported to have visited one of Jahwa's factories in South Korea during the first half of 2021, which supports futher the possibility that Apple might be its next big client.
On Wednesday Jahwa announced it is spending the rough equivalent of $155 million on building plants for manufacturing OIS actuators. The size of this spending plan will last until March next year. In other words, Jahwa will likely start supplying Apple with OIS actuators sometime in second quarter of 2023.
Apple usually requires its suppliers to build dedicated production lines just for its products, so the new facilities that are being constructed by Jahwa Electronics are likely going to be reserved just for the Cupertino-based tech giant.
Previously, analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo had made predictions that 2022 would be the year we finally see a periscope zoom telephoto camera on the iPhone Pro models.
But today’s news does not have anything to do with the iPhone’s display rather, it is about the iPhone’s camera system. For a few years now, Apple has been criticized for not including a more capable telephoto camera in its premium-priced phones. More precisely, a telephoto camera that is capable of more zoom than simply 3x, as it is on the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.
What is a periscope camera?
A periscope camera is one that features a periscope lens. But what is a periscope lens? Well, to put it in simple terms, it is a set of mirrors that are specifically angled to achieve a longer focal length without taking up too much space.
A periscope lens allows for a small device like your phone to get more optical zoom out of its camera system, without the need for protruding elements or additional third-party hardware. It does that by redirecting the light so that it can travel further before hitting the image sensor.
One great example of this is the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which has the ability to go up to 10x optical zoom thanks to its periscope camera. The first mainstream phone to feature one is believed to be Huawei’s P30 Pro that came out back in 2019, although, OPPO was likely the first company to unveil this tech during the Mobile World Congress in 2017
Apple is prepping up for its first periscope camera
Jahwa is a manufacturer of optical image stabilization (OIS) actuators. Right now, it is also where Samsung is getting the OIS components for its flagship Galaxy S22 series. However, Apple was reported to have visited one of Jahwa's factories in South Korea during the first half of 2021, which supports futher the possibility that Apple might be its next big client.
On Wednesday Jahwa announced it is spending the rough equivalent of $155 million on building plants for manufacturing OIS actuators. The size of this spending plan will last until March next year. In other words, Jahwa will likely start supplying Apple with OIS actuators sometime in second quarter of 2023.
Another report from Patently Apple points at Apple securing ball guide actuators from Jahwa. That is the same type of component Samsung uses in its flagships. Currently, Apple is using spring actuators in its latest iPhone models, which are considered not as ideal, with the alternative option being capable at housing more lenses and larger image sensors.
When will we see an iPhone with a periscope camera?
Previously, analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo had made predictions that 2022 would be the year we finally see a periscope zoom telephoto camera on the iPhone Pro models.
Now, however, both Kuo and another famous analyst by the name of Jeff Pu, claim this will happen in 2023 with the Pro models of the iPhone 15. Hopefully, we won't have to wait any longer than this though.
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