Kuo: iPhone 13 Pro Models to Feature Improved Ultra Wide Camera With Autofocus, Compared to Current Fixed-Focus Lens

[MacRumors]

The high-end models of the upcoming iPhone 13 lineup, such as the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, will feature an upgraded ultra-wide camera with autofocus, compared to the current fixed focal ultra-wide camera on iPhone 12 models, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in an investors note obtained by MacRumors.

Compared to the current fixed-focus lens on the ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 12 lineup, autofocus on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max will help deliver crisper and sharper images, regardless of the distance a specific subject is from the lens. Kuo has previously stated that the iPhone 13 will feature several other camera improvements, including improved low-light performance.

Looking more long-term, Kuo today shared additional information on the iPhone 14, destined for 2022. According to Kuo, while autofocus on the iPhone 13 ultra-wide camera will be limited to the high-end Pro models only, Apple plans to expand autofocus for the ultra-wide camera to all four models of the iPhone 14 lineup.

Article Link: Kuo: iPhone 13 Pro Models to Feature Improved Ultra Wide Camera With Autofocus, Compared to Current Fixed-Focus Lens

 

[kalafalas]

Wow, this would make me actually use it!

 

[CarlJ]

I… did not realize the ultra-wide camera was fixed focus.

 

[Yokon54]

The cameras need improvement in general. I have a 12 Pro Max. We need more megapixels or something. The pictures look great on the phone, but on a larger display, there are a lot of issues.

 

[Kulfon]

It became a norm for people to pay 1000$+ year on year for what in reality is a very minor upgrade that has no real impact on anything, except for making people feel better that they have the latest and greatest

 

[LFC2020]

🥱🥱🥱

Wake me up when the foldable iPhone 14 gets here.

 

[farewelwilliams]

i upgraded my iPhone every year since the 6, but i think this year i'll be skipping. i got burned by the iPhone XS which was the smallest incremental upgrade of any iPhone generation IMO. this year is shaping up to be the next XS.

 

[Serban55]

The cameras need improvement in general. I have a 12 Pro Max. We need more megapixels or something. The pictures look great on the phone, but on a larger display, there are a lot of issues.

thats why you still need prof camera if you are in to it

 

[munpip214]

Personal usage per lens:
Ultra Wide 5%
Wide 55%
Telephoto 40%
Don’t know why they didn’t put telephoto on regular phones. Do others actually use ultra wide lens a lot?

 

[1rottenapple]

It became a norm for people to pay 1000$+ year on year for what in reality is a very minor upgrade that uas no real impact on anything, except for making people feel better that they have the latest and greatest

I know right. I’m just glad I bought apple stock on the low. Keep buying em yall!!!

 

[_Spinn_]

I always welcome improvements to the cameras.

 

[Shirasaki]

I recently received a couple photo taken by someone else with iPhone 12 Pro Max, moderately low light condition and regular distance between camera lenses and object. And the photo looks terrible as soon as I zoom in. Little to no detail, texts on the object is just not too blurry to distinguish each letter. I think I could’ve taken roughly the same photo with my iPhone XS Max.

More reviewers should test out low light conditions more and Apple definitely should ramp up their R&D on that one. A camera with poor low light condition is terrible nowadays imo, within premium phone category.

 

[macguy2021]

🥱🥱🥱

Wake me up when the foldable iPhone 14 gets here.

Foldable phones are a gimmick IMO. They are shoddy. If Samsung's foldables are anything to go by, Apple is better off staying out of that arena. I only like the biggest screen phones so I'd rather see them do a 6.9 Pro Max, flat screen no curved garbage. Folding glass and screens is unnatural and definitely prone to failure given enough time. No thanks. And as amazing as Apple is at innovation, I cannot see them making the foldable experience and build quality better.

Whether or not people are excited by the 13 series or not, I definitely don't think foldable phones are the future. I think seeing regular minor year over year improvements is the way of the future. Any more crazy "innovation" and you are going to end up with something weird and unpractical. I like the rectangular slab design, with squared off edges.

It reminds me of the curved TV fad that has already died way down. Everyone wanted a curved TV until they didn't.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Huge camera upgrade this year! Will be even better in 2022!

Thank you for an update Mr. Kuo.

iPhone periscope lenses w/ 10x optical zoom as early as 2022 - 9to5Mac

More reports are pointing to Apple putting periscope lenses in its iPhones as soon as 2022. However, the latest suggests it could be 2023.

9to5mac.com

 

[travelsheep]

iPhone 20 (early 2027) really must be da bomb, according to reliable source Kuo.

 

[bsamcash]

The cameras need improvement in general. I have a 12 Pro Max. We need more megapixels or something. The pictures look great on the phone, but on a larger display, there are a lot of issues.

More megapixels would make it worse. It needs a larger, more sensitive sensor and less aggressive sharpening.

 

[nicho]

It became a norm for people to pay 1000$+ year on year for what in reality is a very minor upgrade that uas no real impact on anything, except for making people feel better that they have the latest and greatest

Should Apple just.. not bother, and release phones every 3 years? Would you buy a 2½ year old phone, knowing that the next one is coming out in the next 6 months?

Very minor upgrades are good. They discourage from upgrading for the sake of upgrading. But over the course of 3 years (I went from X to 12 Pro) they add up in a big way.

 

[anshuvorty]

thats why you still need prof camera if you are in to it

Exactly. You can't defy physics...The larger body on a dedicated camera still matters.

 

[ghanwani]

Apple plans to expand autofocus for the ultra-wide camera to all four models of the iPhone 14 lineup.

So, there's gonna be a 14 mini? You can't have four models without the mini.

Edit: It looks like there will be 2 regular models (6.1" & 6.7") and 2 pro models (6.1" & 6.7").

 

[4jasontv]

More megapixels would make it worse. It needs a larger, more sensitive sensor and less aggressive sharpening.

However they do it it needs to be the same camera in all devices.

 

[SR 7]

It became a norm for people to pay 1000$+ year on year for what in reality is a very minor upgrade that uas no real impact on anything, except for making people feel better that they have the latest and greatest

Thats why I went from upgrading every year under Jobs when Apple was Apple to upgrading once every 4 years, if that.

 

[Yokon54]

thats why you still need prof camera if you are in to it

Or a better iPhone camera with more megapixels. I have a DSLR and when you get a great shot, it’s great. However, the iPhone still takes better shots more consistently when you factor in ease of shooting. Will a pro setup take a better picture? Absolutely. Do you have the time, patience, or ability to get that shot before the moment is gone? Not as easy.

The AI in iPhone pretty good. The pro camera setup has far more crappy, blurry, and just overall “bad” shots for me. The issue for me is that even a great iphone shot doesn’t have enough pixels to look good larger. That seems like a solvable problem.

 

[peachpup]

I know right. I’m just glad I bought apple stock on the low. Keep buying em yall!!!

Yesssir! ))

 

[peachpup]

Or a better iPhone camera with more megapixels. I have a DSLR and when you get a great shot, it’s great. However, the iPhone still takes better shots more consistently when you factor in ease of shooting. Will a pro setup take a better picture? Absolutely. Do you have the time, patience, or ability to get that shot before the moment is gone? Not as easy.

I'm an amateur prosumer photo guy at best. ) Used to have the nice Canon DSLR's, lens... but got tired of carrying them around. Especially on long treks, hikes, walks. iPhone for the most part has suited me well. 1000's x 1000's of photos later, I've learned a lot about iPhone photography. I'm decent with Photoshop and plugin's as well. I have a few friends with Pro DLSRs who have no clue what they are doing. )) My photos blow them away. I usually upgrade every 2 or 3 cycles. Currently have the iPhone XS Max. The new 13 will be a big jump for me. Can't wait to take better low-light photos.

 

[Yokon54]

Thats why I went from upgrading every year under Jobs when Apple was Apple to upgrading once every 4 years, if that.

The beginning was lower hanging fruit. You’re not going to get massive hardware changes annually with a device this refined. I’d argue there was still no reason to upgrade annually even then And the biggest upgrade happened when jobs was gone and they went to bigger screens.