'High-End' iPhone 14 Front-Facing Camera to Cost Apple Three Times More

[MacRumors]

The iPhone 14 will feature a more expensive "high-end" front-facing camera with autofocus, partly made in South Korea for the first time, ET News reports.

Apple reportedly ousted a Chinese candidate to choose LG Innotek, a South Korean company, to supply the iPhone 14's front-facing camera alongside Japan's Sharp. The company is said to have originally planned to switch to LG for the iPhone 15's front-facing camera, but moved the plan forward to this year.

The change is said to be down to Apple reclassifying the front-facing camera as a "high-end" component and quality concerns with Chinese suppliers. The new front-facing camera is said to cost almost three times more than camera units in previous iPhone models.

The report echoed a previous rumor from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that claimed the iPhone 14's front-facing camera would support autofocus for the first time. Kuo said that all four of the iPhone 14 models, including the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max, will feature an upgraded front-facing camera with autofocus and a wider ƒ/1.9 aperture.

A wider aperture would allow more light to pass through the lens and reach the front camera's sensor on the iPhone 14 models, resulting in enhanced image quality. Kuo said these camera upgrades could provide a better depth-of-field effect for Portrait mode photos and videos, while autofocus can improve focus during FaceTime and Zoom video calls. By comparison, the front camera on all of the iPhone 13 models has a fixed focus and a smaller ƒ/2.2 aperture.

LG Innotek is now said to be preparing for mass production of the iPhone 14's front camera ahead of the device's release in September.

Article Link: 'High-End' iPhone 14 Front-Facing Camera to Cost Apple Three Times More

 

[yossi]

So $6 instead of $2, thus allowing them to charge an additional $300 for this version.

 

[dcny]

Apple should move their production line out from China. We want better quality products from Korea, Japan or Taiwan.

 

[TSE]

Apple should move their production line out from China. We want better quality products from Korea, Japan or Taiwan.

Agreed! Don't forget Vietnam and India!

 

[Bearxor]

So $6 instead of $2, thus allowing them to charge an additional $300 for this version.

OH NO! How will Apple ever survive?! Might as well shut the whole thing down and give the money back to the shareholders!

 

[dwaltwhit]

Apple should move their production line out from China. We want better quality products from Korea, Japan or Taiwan.

I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment, but doing so would raise the prices so drastically, no one would be able to buy their hardware. I worked for a hardware company where everyone begged for "made in usa" tools, but didn't want to pay the premium.

 

[nikhsub1]

So $6 instead of $2, thus allowing them to charge an additional $300 for this version.

I was just gonna say something similar. On a serious note, I think I remember seeing that the front camera was around $2.50 or so in a cost break down so the new one being 3x more is no biggie.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

That’s fine. Willing to pay whatever the high-end iPhone will cost. As long it’s a noticeable upgrade from previous gen models.

 

[Ziperix]

So $6 instead of $2, thus allowing them to charge an additional $300 for this version.

Trueeee if phone costs 400 to make they should only charge us 400!!! or 300 or 200 or 100 or they should just give it to us for free!! we deserve it!!

 

[Spock]

'High-End' iPhone 14 Front-Facing Camera to Cost iPhone users Three Times More​

I fixed it for you...

 

[cocky jeremy]

Trueeee if phone costs 400 to make they should only charge us 400!!! or 300 or 200 or 100 or they should just give it to us for free!! we deserve it!!

These people drive me crazy that act like it's a crime to make a good profit. Supply and demand. If people want it and are willing to pay it, why not?

 

[anthogag]

Good news. The front-facing camera should be "high-end" ?...

 

[Pezimak]

That will be a guaranteed iPhone price increase then, they will never reduce their percentage of profits.

 

[jonnyb098]

That will be a guaranteed iPhone price increase then, they will never reduce their percentage of profits.

The standard iPhone 14 (non pro) models will have the same chip as the current 13…so that will offset the cost Most likely.

 

[alpi123]

Apple should move their production line out from China. We want better quality products from Korea, Japan or Taiwan.

They already are. China is not the only place the iPhone is being assembled. But it's the largest and cheapest of everything else so moving from there entirely is not easy, especially with the volumes of orders Apple needs to fulfill.

 

[citysnaps]

So $6 instead of $2, thus allowing them to charge an additional $300 for this version.

More forum cred can be earned by making it even more ridiculous, say, $900.

Back here on planet Earth, it will likely be $8.40 after Apple's margin is applied.

 

[Pezimak]

The standard iPhone 14 (non pro) models will have the same chip as the current 13…so that will offset the cost Most likely.

Nope, that is a rumour, and if true it will be purely down to chip shortages, not cost cutting. They will increase the price still as the other components will still be costing them more. Apple doesn’t cost cut due to old chips, plenty of history to prove that.

 

[contacos]

eh, it is pretty obvious that Apple is going to charge an extra 100 bucks for the Pro anyway. Thank god, there isn't a recession or anything happening right now and that people have so much money to spent on electronics

 

[DotCom2]

These people drive me crazy that act like it's a crime to make a good profit. Supply and demand. If people want it and are willing to pay it, why not?

EXACTLY! And if the company does well, buy the stock and make money off it.

 

[boss.king]

Sounds like the iPhone 14 Pro is getting a price hike.

 

[canadianreader]

33% Apple Music increase will absorb some of that cost plus if they increase the pricing in iCloud and other services Apple will remain profitable.

 

[Motawa]

And that is my problem now?

 

[adamw]

A better quality front facing camera is welcome news for all Apple customers!

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

No problem, they’re saving three times as much on the Studio Display sensor ?

 

[ineedanaccont]

I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment, but doing so would raise the prices so drastically, no one would be able to buy their hardware. I worked for a hardware company where everyone begged for "made in usa" tools, but didn't want to pay the premium.

“Made in USA” at “Made in China” prices. Years ago Motorola tried this with an android phone factory in Texas… it closed in 2014

Motorola will close Texas factory, stop assembling phones in the US

Today Motorola announced that it would be closing the Fort Worth factory by the end of the year, due to weak sales of the Moto X, associated with high costs.

www.androidauthority.com