iPhone 17 Pro could feature a 48MP telephoto camera and it could be a big step forward: Here’s why

iPhone 17 Pro is expected to feature a higher-resolution telephoto camera, which could result in improved zoom performance compared to the iPhone 16 Pro.

Updated on: Oct 21, 2024, 15:12:50 IST

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iPhones have had telephoto lenses for quite some time, starting all the way back with the iPhone 7 Series, when the iPhone 7 Plus introduced a 2x telephoto sensor, particularly to enhance its portrait mode. Since then, most iPhones have featured telephoto lenses, except for the vanilla models, beginning with the iPhone 11 Series.

iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 5x 12MP telephoto camera. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)

Shaurya Sharma

The iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro, and now the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro—all feature advanced telephoto sensors. However, a common limitation has prevented them from matching competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S Series—a low-resolution sensor. iPhones have generally been equipped with a 12-megapixel telephoto sensor, offering 2x, 3x, and now 5x optical zoom in the iPhone 16 Series.

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Apple Could Finally Opt For Higher Resolution Sensors

Both consumers and critics have both wanted Apple to opt for a higher resolution sensor, especially with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra now offering a 50-megapixel 5x telephoto camera, which allows for advanced zoom imaging. Similarly, the Pixel 9 Pro supports a 48-megapixel telephoto sensor, allowing advanced zoom.

This could change with the iPhone 17 Pro, which is rumoured to finally switch to a 48-megapixel 5x telephoto sensor, potentially bringing a significant boost to Apple’s zoom capabilities.

According to a report by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu claims that both the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will support a 48-megapixel telephoto camera, marking a significant upgrade from the current 12-megapixel 5x sensor in the iPhone 16 Pro models. Additionally, Pu suggests that both models will feature 12GB of RAM, an increase from the 8GB in the current versions.

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What Could This Mean For iPhone's Zoom Abilities?

Some flagship models, including the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, feature high-resolution sensors, enabling advanced zoom capabilities up to 100x. While you don't get optical quality at 100x or even 50x, this offers greater flexibility compared to the iPhone 16 Pro, which limits zoom to 25x. If the iPhone 17 Pro does indeed include a 5x 48MP camera, it could provide further reach and potentially higher quality zoom shots at around 10x and beyond.

Apple upgraded the iPhone 16 Pro’s ultrawide sensor to 48MP, which has resulted in higher quality standard and ProRAW shots, packed with detail. This upgrade has also improved Apple's macro mode. If the telephoto lens receives similar treatment, with a 48MP trio across the wide, telephoto, and ultrawide cameras, it could create an even more well-rounded camera system.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shaurya Sharma
Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers. He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey. Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol carsRead More

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